Christian Dior Large Union Jack Book Tote
View Similar Items
Christian Dior Large Union Jack Book Tote
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Denver, CO
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU3041218552952
Christian Dior
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.
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 evening 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.
- Chanel Limited Edition Small Deauville Tote GreenBy ChanelLocated in Denver, COCondition: This authentic Chanel tote is in like-new condition. There is no visible wear. No accessories included (dust bag, box, etc.) Features: Champagne gold hardware, dual leat...Category
2010s Tote Bags
- Goyard Goyardine Reversible Anjou PM Black Gold ToteBy GoyardLocated in Denver, COCondition: This authentic Goyard tote is in excellent condition. There is minor cracking on handle base glazing and light marks on leather. Includes: Removable pouch and dust bag F...Category
2010s Tote Bags
- Goyard Goyardine Reversible Anjou PM Black Gold ToteBy GoyardLocated in Denver, COCondition: This authentic Goyard tote is in excellent condition. There is minor cracking on handle base glazing and light marks on leather. Includes: Removable pouch and dust bag F...Category
2010s Tote Bags
- Goyard Poitiers Tote Claire Voie White Blue Coated Canvas MiniBy GoyardLocated in Denver, COCondition: This authentic bag is in great pre-loved condition. There is a small stain in the interior. Includes: Dust bags and envelope Features: Removable strap, top handles Mate...Category
2010s Crossbody Bags and Messenger Bags
- Chanel Sheepskin Chevron Quilted 2.55 Reissue 226 Flap So BlackBy ChanelLocated in Denver, COCondition: This authentic Chanel bag is in excellent pre-loved condition. There are faint scratches on the hardware, minor denting under the flap, and light corner wear. Includes: B...Category
2010s Structured Shoulder Bags
- Gucci Small Blooms Dionysus Shoulder Bag TealBy GucciLocated in Denver, COCondition: This authentic Gucci bag is in excellent pre-loved condition. There is a small crack on the side opening glazing. Est. Retail: $3300 Includes: Dust bag, leather sample, ...Category
2010s Structured Shoulder Bags
- Vintage Rare Chanel Woven Straw Lambskin Beige Shopper ToteBy ChanelLocated in Fort Lauderdale, FLThe ultimate in handbag making luxury craftsmanship. The Iconic House of Chanel always provides us with timeless and classic pieces. The rare bag takes timeless creation to a new level of sophistication and charm. Made from the finest materials that you would expect from the Chanel House...Category
1990s Italian Tote Bags
- Chanel White Monogram ToteLocated in New York, NYLength: 14 Inches Height: 10.75 Inches Material: LeatherCategory
1990s Tote Bags
$1,450 - Chanel Black Patent ToteLocated in New York, NYLength: 12 Inches Height: 9.75 Inches Material: Patent LeatherCategory
1990s Tote Bags
$1,450 - Chanel Blue Deauville Grand Shopping Tote BagBy ChanelLocated in London, GBA chic Chanel blue Deauville Grand Shopping Tote bag. The exterior of this tote is crafted in blue canvas with silver-tone hardware. It features an interwoven chain link with blue le...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Tote Bags
- Chanel Vintage Lambskin Maxi JumboBy ChanelLocated in London, GBChanel Vintage Lambskin Maxi Jumbo This Chanel Vintage Lambskin Maxi Jumbo is a classic and timeless piece that is sure to add a touch of luxury to a...Category
21st Century and Contemporary European Tote Bags
- Chanel Taupe Tote BagBy ChanelLocated in London, GBChanel Taupe Tote Bag Condition: Good Condition Colour: Taupe Box: No Dust bag: No Size: 32 x 20 x 13 cm - Drop 47cm Material: Caviar Calf Leather , Gold Hardware This Chanel t...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Tote Bags
$2,071
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
Too Soon for the Return of ’90s Fashion? As If
There's a renewed appreciation for the era's aesthetic, perhaps most notably among millennials seeking authentic, easy style.
14 Iconic Luxury Handbags and the Stories behind Them
When the name of a bag is as well-known as its brand, you know it's a classic.