Christian Ernest Dior was an influential French fashion designer. Born on the coast of Normandy, France, Christian grew up in Paris, where he developed an interest in art, contradicting his family’s expectations of him becoming a diplomat. Christian developed his skills in art by
selling his own works, and after leaving school, he even financed an art gallery alongside a friend. It was there that he made connections and developed friendships with some of the twentieth century’s most prominent artists, including Pablo Picasso. Salvador Dalí, Jean Cocteau, Alberto Giacometti, and more, which shaped his eventual career as a fashion designer.

Christian’s entry into the fashion world came during World War II, where he created and sold fashion sketches that were discovered by the fashion designer Robert Piguet. Piguet then took Christian under his wing to design for three collections, though his learning was temporarily stopped by military service. Following the end of his service, he was employed by the fashion brand of Lucien Lelong, designing dresses for the wives of Nazi officials and their French collaborators.

A year after the wars ended, Christian founded his own fashion house with the backing of Marcel Boussac and debuted his first collection titled Corolle the next year. In addition to the collection, Chirstian
debuted his first fragrance titled Miss Dior after his sister, who had been liberated from the Ravensbrück concentration camp at the end of the war. The collection gained traction and was responsible for re-establishing Paris as the fashion capital of the world at the time. Christian’s collections revolutionized women’s fashion post-World War II.

By the end of his life, Chirstian’s designs relaxed, becoming more flowing, allowing wearers of the clothing more room for athletic activity, and even a bit understated. Prior to his death, Christian took Yves Saint Laurent under his wing as a design assistant in 1955 and would eventually have him succeed him at Dior. Christian died of a heart attack two years later.