When Christian Dior launched his couture house, in 1946, he wanted nothing less than to make “an elegant woman more beautiful and a beautiful woman more elegant.” He succeeded, and in doing so the visionary designer altered the landscape of 20th century fashion. Vintage Dior bags, shoes, evening dresses, shirts and other garments and accessories are known today for their feminine and sophisticated sensibility.
Dior was born in Granville, on the Normandy coast, in 1905. His prosperous haute bourgeois parents wanted him to become a diplomat despite his interest in art and architecture. However, they agreed to bankroll an art gallery, which Dior opened in 1928 in Paris with a friend.
This was the start of Dior’s rise in the city’s creative milieu, where he befriended Pablo Picasso and Jean Cocteau. After seven years as an art dealer, Dior retrained as a fashion illustrator, eventually landing a job as a fashion designer for Robert Piguet, and in 1941, following a year of military service, he joined the house of Lucien Lelong. Just five years later, with the backing of industrialist Marcel Boussac, the ascendant Dior established his own fashion house, at 30 avenue Montaigne in Paris.
Just two years after the end of World War II, the fashion crowd and the moribund haute couture industry were yearning, comme tout Paris, for security and prosperity, desperate to discard the drab, sexless, utilitarian garb imposed by wartime deprivation. They needed to dream anew.
And Dior delivered: He designed a collection for a bright, optimistic future. “It’s quite a revolution, dear Christian!” exclaimed Carmel Snow, the prescient American editor-in-chief of Harper’s Bazaar, famously proclaiming, “Your dresses have such a new look.” The press ran with the description, christening Dior’s debut Spring/Summer haute couture collection the New Look. “God help those who bought before they saw Dior,” said Snow. “This changes everything.”
Dior’s collection definitively declared that opulence, luxury and femininity were in. His skirts could have 40-meter-circumference hems, and outfits could weigh up to 60 pounds. They were cut and shaped like architecture, on strong foundations that molded women and “freed them from nature,” Dior said. Rather than rationing, his ladies wanted reams of fabric and 19-inch waists enforced by wire corsets, and the fashion world concurred. The debut got a standing ovation.
In the subsequent decade, Paris ruled as the undisputed fashion capital of the world, and Christian Dior reigned as its king. With the luxuriously full skirts of his New Look, suits and his drop-dead gorgeous couture dresses and ball gowns worthy of any princess, Dior gave women the gift of glamour they’d lost in the miserable years of war.
On 1stDibs, find an exquisite range of vintage Christian Dior clothing, jewelry, handbags and other items.
Christian Dior 2024 Escarpins EU39 Jadior Embroided Slingback Pumps UK6 US8.5
By Christian Dior
Located in PARIS, FR
Christian Dior J'Adior slingback pumps, 2024 limited edition, crafted from openwork mesh hand-embroidered with gold-tone thread and the black J'ADIOR logo. Size EU 39 (UK 6 / US 8.5)...
Dior J’Adior Houndstooth Slingback Pumps EU 39.5
By Christian Dior
Located in Krakow, PL
Dior J’Adior Houndstooth Slingback Pumps Sz.39.5 EU Excellent Condition Description: Elegant Dior J’Adior slingback pumps in black and whit...
Christian Dior mules in monogram canvas with embroidered rose
By Christian Dior, John Galliano for Christian Dior
Located in Saint-Ouen-Sur-Seine, FR
Christian Dior mules in monogram canvas with embroidered rose.
2004 Christian Dior Galliano D’Trick White Leather Pointed Sporty Kitten Heels
By John Galliano for Christian Dior, Christian Dior
Located in Sheffield, GB
2004 Christian Dior by John Galliano D’Trick Red Leather & Leopard Pointed Court Shoe Heels, named in homage to Marlene Dietrich featuring perforated leather, Chrome ‘D’ Buckles and...
Dior Galliano Era 2002 Canvas Leather Grommet Heels Slingback 38.5
By Christian Dior, John Galliano for Christian Dior
Located in San Jose, CA
Authentic Christian Dior slingback heels from the Spring/Summer 2002 era under John Galliano. These Y2K Dior heels feature brown leather with beige canvas straps accented by gold-tone grommet hardware and a pointed toe silhouette. Cross straps wrap over the vamp while the adjustable slingback ankle strap secures with a gold buckle. The sculpted heel is wrapped in matching canvas, creating a cohesive look that reflects the utilitarian-meets-feminine aesthetic seen throughout early 2000s Dior collections. Signature Dior branding appears on the insole and outsole. The mix of canvas, leather, and metal detailing makes these heels a standout example of Galliano-era Dior design. Perfect for vintage designer collectors, Y2K styling, fashion archives, or pairing with denim, tailoring, or slip dresses for a modern early-2000s look. Made in Italy. Size: EU 38.5 (approx. US 8-8.5) Material: Leather and canvas Color: Brown / Beige with gold-tone hardware Closure: Slingback ankle strap with buckle Condition: Good pre-owned condition. Visible wear to soles and minor wear consistent with use. Structure remains solid. Includes original Dior box. Please review photos. Keywords: christian dior heels, galliano dior shoes, y2k dior heels, 2002 dior shoes, dior canvas heels, vintage dior heels...
Christian Dior Fuxia Pointed Toe Pumps Size 38
By Christian Dior Haute Couture, Christian Dior
Located in Neguri, Vizcaya
Christian Dior Fuxia Pointed Toe Pumps Size 38 Pumps Size 38 These timeless designer pumps are meant to last you season after season. They have a comfortable fit and high-quality fin...
Christian Dior Trimmings Pumps Shoes, Size 36
By John Galliano for Christian Dior, Christian Dior
Located in SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FR
Dior - (Made in Italy) Blue, red and silver trimmings pumps. Size 36FR Additional information: Dimensions: Heel height: 11 cm Condition: Good condition Seller Ref number: CH65
Dior pumps shoes with bridles
By John Galliano for Christian Dior, Christian Dior
Located in SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FR
DIOR - (Made in Italy) Brown leather pumps with bridles. Condition: Very good condition Dimensions: Size 39 1/2 SKU:CH89
Christian Dior Denim Low Heel Sandals, Size 40
By Christian Dior
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Product details: The shoes are made out of dark wash denim with brown acrylic heel, that is 1.5” high and silver tone adjustable buckle closure.
Christian Dior Brocart Lurex Dior Idylle 35mm Pumps Canard 37.5
By Christian Dior
Located in Miami, FL
Mightychic offers a pair of Christian Dior Brocart Lurex Dior Idylle pumps featured in Canard. A beautiful faded blue brocade fabric with a subtle shimmer. Shoe has a square off toe ...
Dior Vintage John Galliano Bow Grommet Embellished Pointed Toe Mules Pumps 37
By Christian Dior, John Galliano for Christian Dior
Located in Mechanicsville, VA
Dior Vintage John Galliano Bow Grommet Embellished Pointed Toe Mules Pumps 37 Color White Size 37 Heel Height 3.25in Leather upper Leather sole Pointed ...
Dior Logo Retro Vintage Galliano Red Leather Pointed Toe Mules Pumps 37
By Christian Dior, John Galliano for Christian Dior
Located in Mechanicsville, VA
Dior Logo Retro Vintage Galliano Red Leather Pointed Toe Mules Pumps 37 Color Red Size 37EU Heel Height 3.74in Leather upper Leather sole Pointed toe Dior logo finished in silver H...
Dior Vintage John Galliano Bow Grommet Embellished Pointed Toe Mules Pumps 37.5
By John Galliano for Christian Dior, Christian Dior
Located in Mechanicsville, VA
Dior Vintage John Galliano Bow Grommet Embellished Pointed Toe Mules Pumps 37.5 Color Black Size 37.5EU Heel Height 3.25in Leather upper Leather sole Po...
Vintage Dior John Galliano 2005 Diorissimo Lock and Key Monogram Mules 39.5
By John Galliano for Christian Dior
Located in Mechanicsville, VA
Vintage Christian Dior 2005 Diorissimo Lock and Key Monogram Print Mules 39.5 Color Beige Multi Size 39.5EU Heel height 3.5in Leather and fabric upper Leather sole Oblique pattern ...
Dior CD Logo Retro Vintage Galliano Black Leather Pointed Toe Mules Sandals 40
By Christian Dior, John Galliano for Christian Dior
Located in Mechanicsville, VA
Dior CD Logo Retro Vintage Galliano Black Leather Pointed Toe Mules Sandals 40 Color Black Size 40EU Heel Height 3.25in Leather upper Leather sole Pointed toe CD logo finished in s...
Christian Dior Spectadior Buckle Brogue Maryjane Cap Toe Pointed Toe Pumps 37.5
By Christian Dior
Located in Mechanicsville, VA
Dior Buckle Maryjane Spectadior Pumps 37.5 Color Red Black Size 37.5EU Heel Height 3.25in Leather upper Leather sole Pointed toe with angled tip Buckle and brogue detail at vamp Me...
Andy Warhol and the fashion house’s first collections were among the creative director’s inspirations.
There's a renewed appreciation for the era's aesthetic, perhaps most notably among millennials seeking authentic, easy style.
