From New Look to New Era: A Case Study Of The Creative Visionaries Behind the Iconic House Of Dior (Part 1)
365 days of fashion: the e-ncyclopedia of fashion
Tuesday, July 1, 2025
Oh, Dior. J’adore this brand and exploring its past. Through the years, the French luxury house has maintained a strong feminine aesthetic, and yet has never ever been the same. Every creative director who has passed through the atelier doors has brought a distinct personality, reshaping the Maison while echoing its timeless codes.
With Jonathan Anderson’s buzzworthy menswear debut last Friday, it's time to take a fabulously chic stroll through Dior’s rich creative heritage. Whether you want to refresh your fashion history knowledge or are training for a (future) job interview at Dior, this case study will be of great help to gain some structure and perspective on a house with such a long legacy.
Christian Dior (1946–1957)
It all began with a silhouette that shocked the world: the New Look. Presented at Dior’s debut show on 12 February 1947, this ultra-feminine and unapologetically glamorous look swished with post-war optimism. The cinched waist, padded hips, and full skirts established trends for the next decade. Overnight, Dior became more than a brand—it became the heartbeat of Parisian couture.
After the New Look, Christian Dior created many other silhouettes that became, although not as signature as the New Look, equally important in the brand’s history: Envol line (Spring 1948), The Long Line (Fall 1951),