The first time he met a psychic he was only 14 years old. It happened in 1919, at a market that was organized near her house to raise funds for the soldiers. In his autobiography, Dior by Dior, he wrote that the woman, who offered to read his palm, told him: "You will be poor at times in your life, but women will be your great fortune and together with them you will succeed."
A prophecy that would come true on December 15, 1946 –the date of the inauguration of the house of Dior- and that would link him to the world of esotericism, tarot cards and lucky charms for life.
Known as one of the most superstitious fashion geniuses in history, one day walking down Avenue Montaigne next to the gallery owner Pierre Colle, he stopped in front of number 30, and told him: "If I ever have my own house, it will be here and not anywhere else. So it was. A series of coincidences led him to the legendary Hôtel Particulier, the space that would end up being Christian Dior's dream home.
Today, 30 Avenue Montaigne awaits that halo of light from that young art gallery owner even more strongly thanks to a new setting called Galerie Dior, a space that opened its doors in March 2022.
A spiral staircase bedecked with iconic miniature costumes and accessories welcomes you into an exhibition space that bears witness to the visionary audacity of Christian Dior and his six successors: Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferré, John Galliano, Raf Simons and Maria Grazia Chiuri.
Through thirteen themed rooms spread over three floors, with sets that are renewed every six months, unique and distinctive pieces of the firm are exhibited, from its beginnings with Christian Dior to the present day. The suits are intermingled to perpetuate a dialogue between the different creatives that have been part of the history of the luxury house.
A journey that starts from the birth of the couturier, on January 21, 1905, in Granville (Normandy, France), in the bosom of a wealthy family. The village where he grew up, Les Rhumbs, would forever inspire his creations.
“The front of the house was a very soft pink, and the gravel in the patio was gray; those two shades have always been my favorites in couture”, he said in his autobiography. Childhood portraits explain this infatuation and the devotion he had for gardens and flowers that would later serve as inspiration for his designs. A chapter that is also perpetuated in a gloomy and hypnotic room called The Enchanted Gardens.
The move of the Dior family to the 16th arrondissement of Paris would serve to make friends with some artists of the time, such as Jean Cocteau and Max Jacob, and become part of the Parisian cultural environment. A staunch relationship with art that comes to life in the artistic affinities room.
At the heart of this immersive experience, the house dedicates other rooms to the history of J'Adore perfume, to The Power of Gold and to the firm's journeys, a source of inspiration for its creatives. A journey through narrative settings that culminates with El baile de Dior, a space reserved for haute couture that exalts the beauty of creations with a play of light and brilliant sparkles.
