On the morning of 1 February last year, Delphine Arnault stepped into her new office in Paris as chairman and CEO of Christian Dior. The eldest child and only daughter of Bernard Arnault—who is, more often than not, the richest man in the world—has moved up through the ranks of her father’s companies at LVMH over the course of a couple of decades, quietly absorbing every aspect of the fashion business. Now, at 49, she has the crown jewel in her hands: the first fashion house bought by Arnault, the place where he had taken her on weekends as a child, the realm of Monsieur Dior, the designer who, 77 years ago, changed the way women dreamed of their lives. Dior’s name is inextricably linked to the history of France—and on that day, Delphine became the first woman to be in charge of the maison.
I first met her seven months after the start of her reign, in the studio of creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri in Paris. Fragile-featured, with a composure to match her nearly six-foot height, Delphine greets me in a navy Dior trouser suit. It’s the eve of the spring-summer 2024 show and models are walking back and forth in the studio as small adjustments are made and accessories considered. Chiuri, in jeans and a black jumper, sits next to Delphine. If, in 1947, Christian Dior was telling a story about women’s lives and the future they hoped for, the first two women to lead the company are telling a new one. The house of Dior is moving into an era where two busy working mothers are in a position to determine what women wear and how they feel. “Fashion has to help you to feel that you’re free,” says Chiuri.
As the clothes appear, Delphine absorbs, never intervenes. “How many looks do you have?” she asks Chiuri.
“Seventy-eight,” Chiuri replies. “Rachele cut five.” Rachele Regini, Chiuri’s 27-year-old daughter and cultural advisor, is behind us, readying the models and overseeing operations.
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Breathe In, Breathe Out
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Red Pill, Blue Pill
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Sign of the times
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Return to form
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Dimple, All Day
YOU MAY HAVE WATCHED HER ON THE BIG SCREEN FOR OVER FIVE DECADES, BUT DON'T MAKE THE MISTAKE OF ASSUMING THAT YOU KNOW DIMPLE KAPADIA.
MUSIC, TAKE CONTROL
As someone who had always sought safety in numbers, ALIZA FATMA often wondered what her own company would feel like. The answer arrived unexpectedly when she attended her first-ever music festival, one of the largest in the world, all alone
Let it grow
When we think of hardworking farmers toiling in India's scorching heat, we often think of men, the sweat on their brow, the sinews in their arms. JYOTI KUMARI speaks to four women who are championing the invisible female labour that keeps these fields running
YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE
When armless archer Sheetal Devi set her sights on the Paralympic Games this year, she knew she had a tough journey ahead of her. Luckily, her mother was with her every step of the way.
Beauty and the feast
The appeal of Indian weddings has always been in a sprawling spread. For additional bragging rights, Aditi Dugar recommends going beyond designer tablecloths and monogrammed napkins.
Sweet serendipity
From a scavenger hunt-inspired proposal to a Moroccan-themed baraat, Malvika Raj and Armaan Rai's love story prioritised playfulness throughout their blended celebrations.
