Dior- Balancing Legacy and Modernity

Courtesy of L’Officiel Juin-Juillet 2010 (Scans by me)

Since so many readers are self professed “Dior girls,” I thought I would share a little Dior inspiration. While tucked into a flight on my way back from Paris I came across these images from Christian Dior’s Creative Director of Accessories- Camille Miceli’s Paris atelier. I remember neatly tearing the pages out and placing them into my carry on, knowing they would make their way into my inspiration binders. I’ve constantly returned to this article to look at the wonderful sketches, objects, photographs and inspirational motifs that Miceli’s moodboard is comprised of. It’s less about a love of Dior, and more about the careful consideration that’s given to researching the past, perusing the archive and taking classic Dior iconography and making it modern.

At a time when there are so many questions about succession at several storied fashion houses, (including Dior) and an emphasis on finding the right designer or team that can honor the legacy of the house, while designing something relevant; Miceli’s designs stand out. I appreciate that she designs with the house at the forefront of her mind, visiting markets, Dary’s (a favorite of mine) and local craftsmen. 

As Miceli has said “Dior is about a silhouette. I wanted to create a range of bold, feminine and desirable jewelry with a couture feel. It has to be classic, but with a modern twist- I have always liked breaking rules.” Pearls are a recognizable Christian Dior motif and a starting point for Miceli, but she intertwines a multitude of materials (my favorites being grosgrain ribbon, lurex and ceramics) with the traditional. 

As for this idea of breaking the rules, I truly admire women who aren’t afraid to take their careers in exciting new direction. After eight years as the Chanel’s French Public Relations Director and a decade heading up communications at Louis Vuitton, Miceli began to crave the opportunity to creatively express her self. She took the opportunity when Marc Jacobs presented it to design jewelry to accompany the collections without formal training, but with a passion for the design process, which ultimately served as an apprenticeship for her current role. It’s an important reminder to constantly evaluate one’s goals.

PS- I love the diversity of the inspiration here- Michael Jackson dancing, Avedon and Newton photographs, the Lanvin fan, a Lucien Freud book...