Dior by Dior: The Autobiography of Christian Dior (V&A Fashion Perspectives)

I’ve recently become obsessed with Christian Dior. Not just the products but the man himself as well. I have been reading up on him and find we have a lot in common. So I recently picked up one of the few books he ever wrote, “Dior by Dior”. This short biography gives a fascinating look into what it took for him to create the Dior fashion house that we know today, as well as an in-depth look into the Paris Haute Couture scene of the 40s and 50s. Dior built his fashion house with what was called the “New Look” with his first collection in 1947. The book really details how he found himself creating his own fashion house and everything it took behind the scenes for him and his employees to create his first fashion show. Dior writes in such a fascinating and detailed way that you are instantly drawn into the book from the first chapter. It is too bad that he didn’t write more because he tells a story beautifully. He starts the story by writing about a childhood experience where a fortune teller told him he would be successful. Throughout his years he relied on psychics and fortune tellers to help him make decisions. He tells about the work he did for other designers before making the rash decision to start his own fashion house. He details the fortuitous finding of the location of Maison Dior on Montaigne Avenue in Paris, where it still stand to this day. He also gives us insight into how he picked his “worker bees” as he called his employees and the “mannequins” or models who showcased his clothes during his fashion shows. All in all, the story he weaves is intriguing and he ends the book with a more intimate peek into his own personal life. I would have loved to learn more about his personal side though. Too bad he never wrote more on that topic. If you are a fan of Dior, or even just fashion itself, I highly recommend this as it gives great insight into the work it takes to create a season of a fashion collection and how it is brought to life. I loved this book and will reread it again I’m sure.

It was really wonderful to learn many personal details about this fashion artist and the great house he founded. If you are even remotely interested in the history of high fashion you will enjoy this book.

A rather well written and fascinating description of life in high fashion from the pen of one of the greats. I do not know if Dior had a ghost writer assist, but this text is eminently readable.

Its beautiful, will be reading it soon 🖤

Some detail difficult for those of us not au fait with the fashion world to appreciate & understand. But overall worth reading & knowing

So good to read from the Dior himself! I’ve always admired Mr Dior and I’m so happy I got to read his autobiography.

I'm just in the first 2 chapters, but I was hooked when I started the first sentence. Dior wasn't just one of the greatest designers of all time, but he was also a very able writer. The story of his life as a designer is fascinating. I highly recommend this book if you love Dior or if you're interested in the field of fashion design. It's excellent for fashion students as it gives a very clear idea of what it takes to start a "house" and all the work that goes into it. All very exciting, of course.

This is a very interesting and insightful read. If you are interested in the background of one of the most iconic fashion houses, you will enjoy this book.

We watched the series first then purchased the book to get a fuller understanding of his life and achievements. What an icon in the fashion world. This book is a concise history of his life.

Great Book.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and did not want it to end. Christian Dior was born in 1905 into quite a wealthy family in Granville, Normandy; despite living through two world wars he appears to have had a happy, charmed life. On leaving school he studied politics, but eventually dropped out and with his father’s financial support opened an art gallery. His friends were noted writers, artists, and musicians of the day. Following the Second World War after working at the fashion house of Robert Piguet, he managed to secure a job at the couture house of Lucien Lelong working alongside the likes of Pierre Balmain. In 1946 he was given the opportunity to take over the ailing couture house of Gaston but managed to persuade the owners to back him in his own venture, and the house of Dior was opened. He showed his first collection in 1947 which Carmel Snow from Harper’s Bazaar named the ‘New Look’ and the whole world quickly fell in love with everything Dior. This book is beautifully written but is very much about Christian Dior the Haute Couturier and he describes in detail the process of creating his fashion house, a haute couture collection and how the fashion house and all its staff worked, which is fascinating. There are glimmers of Christian Dior the man, particularly if you read between the lines. He appears to have been a gentle, intelligent, charming man, who enjoyed nature and all the good things in life. Sadly he died suddenly while on holiday in 1957, the year this book was originally published, but what an eternal fashion legacy he has left us.

Getting into his head as a couturier. Refreshing read

In good state