Christian Dior Begun Out as an Art Gallerist. Now His Vogue Residence Has Opened a ‘Galerie Dior’ in Paris
Just after an substantial two-year renovation, Dior has reopened its hallowed 30 Avenue Montaigne flagship in Paris. Crafted in 1865 by the son of Napoleon I, the 8th-arrondissement hôtel particulier has been synonymous with the model because its December 1946 inception the extremely future month, the namesake couturier reinvented postwar trend with the “New Look.”
Overseen by fashion’s go-to architect Peter Marino, who has collaborated with the dwelling for far more than 25 yrs, the revamped 10,000 square-meter space is a veritable Dior ecosphere. In addition to its women’s and men’s boutiques, the house encompasses the atelier, the haute couture salons, three gardens, a cafe, a patisserie, and a private apartment for VIP consumers. But the crown jewel is the 13-space Galerie Dior, available via a independent entrance.
La Galerie Dior, within the house’s recently redesigned Paris flagship. Photograph: Kristen Pelou.
Artwork runs deep inside the house’s origins and codes—in reality, prior to embarking upon a job in fashion, Christian Dior was a gallerist. He co-started Paris’s Galerie Jacques Bonjean in 1928, and from 1931 he was affiliated with Galerie Pierre Colle, which held two Salvador Dalí shows—it was the 1st place to show his painting The Persistence of Memory—while also demonstrating artists these as Picasso, Person Ray, Joan Miró, and Max Ernst.
The blockbuster retrospective “Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams” not long ago concluded its stint at the Brooklyn Museum soon after stopping in London, Shanghai, and Paris. But there is even now an surplus of matter issue to curate, from the elegant and slightly bonkers John Galiano–era fantasias (see spring 2003’s Egyptian-impressed couture slide 2004’s chic delirium) to Raf Simon’s brief, floral-hefty tenure to the first female creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri and her staider present reign.
https://www.youtube.com/observe?v=19UENtU4IgY
This sort of excess can be uncovered in all its glory at La Galerie Dior, which is dedicated to the property, its record, its founder, and his six successors. Nathalie Criniere designed the retrospective’s scenographic narratives as effectively as these in the present-day gallery established-up. “This is a trend home with a previous, current, and potential,” she explained in a movie from the manufacturer. “The gorgeous issue about creating a tale is observing it evolve, just like lifetime.”
Dread not, the legendary black iron balustrade staircase that served as the placing for so numerous iconic exhibits is even now intact (as is Dior’s original workplace). The gallery riffs on the original staircase with a gleaming new white 1 that spirals up by means of a rainbow “colorama” of miniature dresses and accessories, like a twister that transports you to Dior’s variation of Oz.
Photo: Kristen Pelou.
Image: Kristen Pelou.
Photo: Kristen Pelou.
Image: Kristen Pelou.
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