After taking a look through Dior‘s extensive archive to see the classic Christian Dior styles current creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri looks to for her own design inspiration, we’ve discovered which styles truly are the brand’s greatest hits.
Maria Grazia Chiuri’s fall 2017 Dior Amour shoe was inspired by this 1959 Christian Dior by Roger Vivier model in ivory silk satin with black rectangular dots. The heel shape was called “choc” — the Gallic slang for “shocking,” as it was considered both new and arresting at the time.
This 1962 Christian Dior by Roger Vivier sandal inspired Maria Grazia’s contemporary classic J’Adior slingback. The original came in taffeta ivory silk with delicate silver lamé embroidery in a trefoil shape.
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The lily of the valley was Dior’s favorite flower. He considered it a lucky charm and used the motif often. This embellished satin mule was created by Vivier for the maison’s SS 1955 collection. Chiuri also used lily of the valley embellishments for the bespoke wedding gown she created for Miranda Kerr.
Toile de Jouy is a very important motif for the maison. The pattern has its origins with Marie Antoinette and the Palace of Versailles. Dior was so enamored that he also used it for the wallpaper of his first boutique, Colifichets. The Christian Dior by Roger Vivier pump itself is named Versailles and hails from the spring/summer 1959 collection.
This Christian Dior by Roger Vivier bordeaux velvet pump was made around 1955 for the Duchess of Windsor and bears her crest.
Feathers remain a key material for the house. Chiuri took inspiration for her resort ‘18 collection feather flats from several shoes in the archive, including these blue turquoise Christian Dior by Roger Vivier pumps from 1954.
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