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.
Vintage Christian Dior " COLOURFULL " Candy Red Wrap Sunglasses Fall 2000 Y2K
By Christian Dior
Located in Baleares, Baleares
Vintage Christian Dior " Colourfull " Wrap Sunglasses in Candy Red by Galliano for Dior. Made in Austria. This piece show minor sign of wear due to storage. Front : 27 cms Lens...
Vintage Christian Dior " Pilot " Y2K Mask Wrap Around Optyl Sunglasses
By Christian Dior
Located in Baleares, Baleares
Vintage Christian Dior " Pilot " Y2K Gold Rimless Frame. This Item Show Sign Of Wear On The Lenses, And A Noticeable Scratch ( Hence The Price ) Not On The Line Of Vision. This ...
Vintage Christian Dior CD 3754 Sleek Red & Gold 2000'S Sunglasses Italy Y2K
By Christian Dior
Located in Baleares, Baleares
Classy And Eye Catching Vintage Christian Dior Rectangular gold and red Frame rose gradient Lenses Sunglasses. New! Never Worn Or Displayed This Item May Show Minor Sign Of Wear Du...
New Vintage Christian Dior 2173 Gold & Red Frame Sunglasses 1980'S Austria
By Christian Dior
Located in Baleares, Baleares
New Vintage Christian Dior Metallic Gold & Red Frame Holding A Pair Of Light Pink Lenses A Seldom And Rare Piece New, Never Worn Or Displayed, It May Show Minor Sign Of Wear Due T...
Vintage Christian Dior CD 3754 Sleek Red & Gold 2000'S Sunglasses Italy Y2K
By Christian Dior
Located in Baleares, Baleares
Classy And Eye Catching Vintage Christian Dior Rectangular gold and red Frame rose gradient Lenses Sunglasses. New! Never Worn Or Displayed This Item May Show Minor Sign Of Wear Du...
Rare Dior by John Galliano 2003 Dior Bandage 2 Sunglasses
By Christian Dior, John Galliano for Christian Dior
Located in Bressanone, Trentino-Alto Adige
Rare Christian Dior by John Galliano 2003 Dior Bandage 2 sunglasses in degrade color pale pink and white. Condition: Really good. Packing/...
1980s Christian Dior Model 2250 44 Silver & Red Oversized Sunglasses
By Christian Dior
Located in Munich, DE
"WHAT'S LIFE WITHOUT A LITTLE FRENCH DRESSING?", is the slogan written on the 1980s advertising of Christian Dior's model 2250 sunglasses featuring the exact twin of the pair we offer here. Iconic and highly coveted 1980s Christian Dior model 2250 sunglasses in colour 44. As seen in other colourways on Amy Adams as Sydney Prosser in the film "American Hustle". And Rihanna on her "Man Down" single cover and for her Interview Magazine cover shoot. These notice-me oversized vintage shades were manufactured in Austria. They feature red edging around the original brown gradient lenses and ribbed silver metal detailing. The temples are made from Optyl and are finished off with the signature "CD" emblem on the hinges. The frame is signed "Christian Dior" and "optyl" on the inside of the right temple and "2250 44 63 17 Made in Austria" on the inside of the left temple. A collector's piece of fashion history! Excellent vintage condition with the slightest signs of wear. Lens width: 63 mm / 2.5" Bridge: 17 mm / 0.67" Temple length: 120 mm / 4.7" Reference Photos: 1980s Christian Dior advertising...
Dior by John Galliano S/S 2003 Dior Punk Swarovski Sunglasses
By Christian Dior
Located in Amsterdam, NH
The most iconic pair of the 'Punk' sunglasses by John Galliano for Dior for his S/S 2003 collection. In excellent condition, none of the crystals are missing. There are also no scrat...
Galliano Dior Logo Sunglasses, Pave Flame Fire Frames, Y2K
By John Galliano for Christian Dior, Christian Dior
Located in New York, NY
Christian Dior Logo Sunglasses, Pave Flame/Fire Frames, Y2K by John Galliano in rare rose tint. Side arms designed with conjoined CD with pave crystals in flame motifs. Markings: CH...
Vintage Avantgarde Red Mask Wrap Around Sunglasses Made in Italy
Located in Baleares, Baleares
Vintage Avantgarde Vibrant Red Mask Wrap Around Sunglasses Made in Italy Frame in good vintage condition no repairs or structural damage. The lenses have ...
Christian Dior Oversized 2250 Red Braided Leather & Metal Vintage Eye Glasses
By Christian Dior
Located in Scottsdale, AZ
Christian Dior Oversized 2250 Red Braided Leather & Metal Vintage Glasses are a bold statement piece that combines luxury craftsmanship with striking design. Featuring an oversiz...
Y2K Chanel Red Oversized Round Tinted Sunglasses
By Chanel
Located in Scottsdale, AZ
Introducing the Y2K Chanel Red Oversized Round Tinted Sunglasses, a perfect blend of nostalgic fashion and modern flair. These striking red and burgundy sun...
Emporio Armani Red Rimless Shield Sunglasses circa Y2K
By Giorgio Armani, EMPORIO ARMANI EA7
Located in Scottsdale, AZ
These striking Emporio Armani Red Rimless Shield Sunglasses from the circa Y2K era are a bold statement piece that captures the edgy, futuristic spirit of early 2000s fashion. Featur...
Christian Dior Metal Rimless Sunglasses circa 1990s
By Christian Dior
Located in Scottsdale, AZ
These Christian Dior Metal Rimless Sunglasses from the circa 1990s showcase timeless elegance and sophisticated style. Crafted with sleek metal frames that offer a minimalist yet luxurious aesthetic, they feature a rimless design that emphasizes their refined craftsmanship. The subtle Dior branding adds to their high-end appeal, making them a versatile accessory for both casual and formal outfits. They can be effortlessly styled with other iconic designer pieces such as a Chanel tailored blazer, a Hermès leather handbag, or a pair of Prada silk scarves...
Christian Dior 1980s Butterfly 2056 Orange Gradient Tinted Lens Sunglasses
By Christian Dior
Located in Scottsdale, AZ
Step into a world of vintage glamour with the Christian Dior 1980s Butterfly 2056 Orange Gradient Tinted Lens Sunglasses. These elegant sunglasses are framed with luxurious gold-tone...
Christian Dior Oversized Orange Gradient Tortoise Style Sunglasses circa Y2K
By Christian Dior
Located in Scottsdale, AZ
These Christian Dior Oversized Orange Gradient Tortoise Style Sunglasses circa Y2K combine bold, retro-inspired design with luxurious craftsmanship. The oversized frames feature a st...
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.
