The title of the recent retrospective 'Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams' is a fitting sobriquet for the legendary couturier, whose 1947 collection heralded an age of fantasy, femininity and escapism in fashion after the devastation and austerity of World War II. And for more than 75 years since that revolutionary debut - famously dubbed "The New Look" by Harper's Bazaar editor Carmel Snow - 30 Avenue Montaigne has been the address of Dior's dream factory.
Home to the atelier where The New Look was brought to life, and the salon where it was first paraded to rapturous applause, the building is synonymous with the magic of haute couture - that rarefied artform once described by Dior as "the last refuge of the marvellous".
Now, following a major two-year renovation and expansion, the maison has reopened the doors to its spiritual home and unveiled another radical new look: a spectacular flagship set over 10,000 square metres and home to restaurants, gardens and a museum.
Built in 1865 by the illegitimate son of Napoleon I, the four-storey hôtel particulier captivated Dior when he encountered it in 1946. "It had to be 30 Avenue Montaigne," said the couturier, drawn to the understated elegance of the neoclassical facade, as well as its relatively modest scale and proximity to potential clients staying at the Hôtel Plaza Athénée. "I would set myself up here and nowhere else."
Denne historien er fra June - July 2022-utgaven av Belle Magazine Australia.
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Denne historien er fra June - July 2022-utgaven av Belle Magazine Australia.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Highly prized
A move into a light-dappled Victorian Italianate building with purposebuilt interiors allowed Criteria and sister company C.Gallery to showcase atelier-based furniture, lighting, objects and art in a unique design gallery.
The gold and the beautiful
An interior designer daringly pushes the boundaries in her own home in Sydney's eastern suburbs - with glittering results.
Poetic aesthetic
There's rhyme and reason in the artful assemblage of European antiques and decorative objets in this gently refreshed Sydney home.
STATE OF MIND
ON NEW YORK’S UPPER EAST SIDE Melbourne-based designer Tali Roth has crafted an apartment that is both classy and comfortable, where modernist icons and contemporary finds sit side-by-side.
PLUM JOB
REWORKING THE COMPLEX BURROWS of an inner-city terrace has resulted in an expansive home for two, with rich hues and pared-back furnishings, all imbued with meaningful custom finishes.
ABSTRACT IMPRESSIONS
SERVING AS A GALLERY for the owners' growing art collection, this opulent yet tricky-shaped apartment in Sydney's eastern suburbs emulates the eclecticism of New York's jewel box apartments.
SMART SPACES
An alchemical mix of luxury furnishings fused with superior surfaces has transformed and elevated these properties.
House PROUD
In a collaboration between Belle and Fanuli, three leading interior designers transform the most intimate rooms of a home into chic sanctuaries.
MUSE WORTHY
The interiors of the Sydney home of arts advisor and advocate Kym Elphinstone are a fitting tribute to her passion for Australian artists and creators.
ENJOY YOUR STAY
Forget the journey, for the Lancemore Hotel Group, it's all about the destination and showcasing high-end Australian design.
