Dior facts for kids
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Headquarters in Paris, France
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Trade name
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Dior |
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| Industry | Luxury goods |
| Founded | 16 December 1946 |
| Founders | Christian Dior Marcel Boussac |
| Headquarters | 30 Avenue Montaigne Paris, France |
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Number of locations
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535 stores worldwide (2025) |
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Key people
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Bernard Arnault (Chairman) Antoine Arnault (CEO and Vice-Chairman of Christian Dior SE) Delphine Arnault (CEO and Vice-Chairman of Christian Dior Couture) Jonathan Anderson (Creative director) |
| Products | Clothing, cosmetics, fashion accessories, jewelry, perfumes, spirits, watches, wines |
| Revenue |  €79.18 billion (2022) |
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Operating income
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€20.99 billion (2022) |
| €14.70 billion (2022) |
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| Total assets | €131.9 billion (2022) |
| Total equity | €54.31 billion (2022) |
| Owner | Groupe Familial Arnault via Financière Agache (97.5% of shares; 2024) |
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Number of employees
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196,006 (2022) |
Christian Dior SE, known as Dior, is a famous French company that creates beautiful luxury goods. It is led by Bernard Arnault, who also guides the large company LVMH. Dior is a big part of LVMH. The original fashion house was started by the French designer Christian Dior in 1946. He wanted to create special, custom-made clothing called haute couture. Today, Christian Dior Couture makes the clothing. Bernard Arnault's daughter, Delphine Arnault, became the CEO of Christian Dior Couture in February 2023. His son, Antoine Arnault, is the CEO of Christian Dior SE. In August 2025, Dior opened its first permanent spa in the United States. It is located in their newly updated flagship store in New York City. This spa offers special skin treatments.
Contents
History of Dior
Founding the House of Dior
The House of Dior began on December 16, 1946, in Paris, France. It was located at 30 Avenue Montaigne. The company often celebrates 1947 as its official opening year. A rich businessman named Marcel Boussac helped Christian Dior financially. Mr. Boussac wanted Dior to design for another brand. But Christian Dior wanted to start his own brand with his name. So, he created his own fashion house. This new company became part of Mr. Boussac's textile business. Dior had a special role in his company, which was unusual at the time. He had a say in how things were run and earned a good salary for his creative work.
The Famous "New Look"
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On February 12, 1947, Christian Dior showed his first fashion collection. It was for the Spring–Summer season. This show featured 90 designs on six models at the Paris headquarters. The collection was first called "Corolle" and "Huit." However, it quickly became known as the "New Look." This name came from Carmel Snow, the editor of Harper's Bazaar, who said, "It's such a new look!"
The New Look was a big change for women's fashion after World War II. It helped bring back the glamour of French haute couture. The style featured a small, cinched waist and a full skirt that fell below the knee. This design highlighted a woman's shape. The famous "Bar" suit from this collection was a key example. A young Pierre Cardin helped create this suit. The New Look brought back feminine styles, moving away from the more practical wartime clothes.
This new style became very popular. It influenced many other designers in the 1950s. Dior gained many famous clients from Hollywood and European royalty. Paris, which had lost its fashion leadership during the war, became important again. Many in Western Europe loved the New Look because it was a fresh change from wartime shortages. Even Princess Margaret in the UK wore these stylish designs.
Not everyone liked the New Look. Some people thought it used too much fabric, especially after years of rationing. Some felt the designs were too restrictive. Despite these concerns, the New Look was very influential. It continues to inspire designers today. For example, in 2007, John Galliano created a collection for Dior that updated the New Look. In 2012, Raf Simons also reinterpreted the New Look for his first Dior haute couture collection. His work focused on luxurious fabrics and a modern silhouette.
Growing the Dior Brand
Christian Dior Parfums started around 1947 or 1948. The company launched its first perfume, Miss Dior, in 1947. This perfume was named after Christian Dior's sister, Catherine Dior. Miss Dior became very popular and changed the perfume industry. Pierre Cardin led the Dior workshop from 1947 to 1950. In 1948, a Dior perfume branch opened in New York City. Also in 1948, Dior opened a luxury ready-to-wear store in New York. This was one of the first stores of its kind. By 1949, the New Look fashion line was already making a lot of money.
Expanding Worldwide and Christian Dior's Legacy
Dior began to expand outside France in 1949. It opened a boutique in New York City. By the end of that year, Dior fashions made up 75% of Paris's fashion exports. In 1950, Dior's general manager, Jacques Rouët, started a program to put the "Christian Dior" name on many luxury goods. This included neckties, hosiery, furs, and handbags. This idea became very profitable and other fashion houses soon followed.
Christian Dior also designed dresses for actress Marlene Dietrich in the 1950 film Stage Fright. In 1951, Dior published his first book, Je Suis Couturier (I am a Couturier). By this time, more than half of Dior's sales came from the United States. The first Dior shoe line launched in 1953. By the end of 1953, Dior had stores in Mexico, Cuba, Canada, and Italy.
By the mid-1950s, Dior was a respected fashion empire. A Dior fashion show was held at Blenheim Palace in 1954. Christian Dior released more successful fashion lines between 1954 and 1957. The first Dior lipstick was released in 1955. By 1956, the company's 10th anniversary, 100,000 garments had been sold. Christian Dior appeared on the cover of Time magazine in March 1957. He passed away on October 24, 1957. Christian Dior is remembered as one of the greatest fashion figures in history. His name became known for taste and luxury.
Many famous people wore Christian Dior's designs. These included Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Elizabeth Taylor, and Princess Margaret.
Dior After Christian Dior: 1957 to the 1970s
After Christian Dior passed away, the company faced a challenge. The general manager, Jacques Rouët, thought about closing the business. But Dior was too important to the fashion industry. So, Mr. Rouët promoted 21-year-old Yves Saint Laurent to Artistic Director in 1957. Saint Laurent had been Christian Dior's assistant.
Saint Laurent's first collection for Dior in 1958 was a big success. His designs were soft, light, and easy to wear. He was seen as a national hero. However, his later designs became more daring. In 1960, Saint Laurent left Dior.
Marc Bohan replaced Saint Laurent as designer in late 1960. Bohan brought a more classic style to the collections. He helped keep Dior at the forefront of fashion with elegant, wearable clothes. Famous people like Elizabeth Taylor loved Bohan's designs. New perfumes like "Diorling" (1963) and "Eau Sauvage" (1966) were released.
In 1967, the first French ready-to-wear collection called "Miss Dior" was launched. Also, "Baby Dior" opened its first children's boutique. In 1969, the Christian Dior Cosmetics business began. Bohan then launched the first Christian Dior Monsieur (now Dior Men) clothing line for men in 1970. The first Dior watch, "Black Moon," was released in 1975. Dior haute couture was worn by many important figures, including Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Grace Kelly.
The Arrival of Bernard Arnault
In 1984, Bernard Arnault and his investment group bought the company that owned Dior. Arnault became chairman and CEO in 1985. He focused on the Christian Dior Couture fashion business. In 1988, Arnault's Christian Dior S.A. invested in Moët-Hennessy • Louis Vuitton. This created one of the world's leading luxury goods companies. This merger brought Christian Dior Couture and Christian Dior Parfums back together.
Italian designer Gianfranco Ferré became the head designer in 1989. He brought a new, refined style to Dior. Ferré won an award for his first collection. More Dior boutiques opened in New York City, Los Angeles, and Tokyo in 1990.
In 1995, the production of Dior Haute Couture became a separate company called Christian Dior Couture. Anna Wintour, editor of Vogue, suggested British designer John Galliano to replace Ferré in 1997. Arnault believed Galliano had a creative talent similar to Christian Dior himself. Galliano created exciting and sometimes surprising fashion shows. The Dior headquarters store on Avenue Montaigne reopened in 1997 after renovations.
In 1998, Victoire de Castellane became the lead designer for Dior Fine Jewellery. The first Dior Fine Jewellery boutique opened in New York City. The popular perfume "J'adore" was released in 1999. In October 1999, Galliano introduced the famous Dior Saddle bag in his Spring-Summer 2000 show. This bag became one of the first "It Bags" of the 2000s.
Dior in the 21st Century
In 2000, Hedi Slimane became the lead designer for Dior Homme (men's fashion). Slimane created a new "contemporary masculine concept" for Dior Homme. Soon, famous men like Brad Pitt and Mick Jagger became clients. New perfumes like "Higher" (2001) and "Addict" (2002) were released. By 2002, Dior had 130 stores operating worldwide.
In 2003, a Dior flagship store opened in Tokyo's Omotesandō district. Another flagship store opened in Ginza, Tokyo, in 2004. Victoire de Castellane launched her own watch, "Le D de Dior," for women. Slimane also released a watch for Dior Homme called "Chiffre Rouge."
The "Miss Dior Chérie" perfume and the "Dior Homme" fragrance were released in 2005. Dior celebrated the 100th anniversary of Christian Dior's birthday with an exhibition in 2005. In 2007, Kris Van Assche became the new artistic director of Dior Homme. The company also celebrated its 60th anniversary that year.
In February 2011, there was a change in leadership at the House of Dior. John Galliano left the company. Bill Gaytten became the interim head designer. In April 2012, Belgian designer Raf Simons was announced as the new artistic director of Christian Dior. Simons was known for his minimalist designs, a contrast to previous styles. He presented his first collection in July 2012, which was well-received.
In March 2014, Peter Philips became the new creative and image director for Dior makeup. In March 2015, singer Rihanna became the official spokeswoman for Dior, making her the first black woman in that role.
In 2016, Maria Grazia Chiuri was named the women's artistic director for Dior. In March 2018, Kim Jones became the men's artistic director. Under his leadership, Dior has worked with many famous streetwear artists and designers.
In October 2021, Francis Kurkdjian was appointed as the new creative director of perfume. On March 11, 2022, the historic 30 Avenue Montaigne store reopened after a major renovation. This is where Christian Dior first showed his collection. In January 2023, Delphine Arnault became the chairperson and CEO. In August 2025, Dior opened its first permanent spa in New York City. In June 2024, one of Dior's subsidiaries was involved in a legal matter in Italy regarding subcontractors. In 2025, Jonathan Anderson was appointed as Dior’s new Creative Director for all collections.
Financial data
| Year | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
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| Revenue | 29.881 | 30.984 | 35.081 | 37.968 | 43.666 | 46.83 | 53.67 | 44.65 | 64.22 | 79.2 | 86.2 | 84.7 |
| Net Income | 3.926 | 3.883 | 6.165 | 4.164 | 5.753 | 14.702 | 15.921 | 12.908 | ||||
| Assets | 55.555 | 61.161 | 60.030 | 62.904 | 72.762 | 131.951 | 140.873 | 146.343 | ||||
| Employees | 2535 | 2780 | 3033 | 3100 | 3800 |
At the end of 2010, the main owner of Christian Dior S.A. was Groupe Arnault SAS. This is the family company of Bernard Arnault. This group owned about 70% of Dior's stock and had about 83% of the voting rights. Christian Dior S.A. also owned a large part of LVMH.
Creative Directors
- Christian Dior – 1946–1957
- Yves Saint Laurent – 1957–1960
- Marc Bohan (women's & haute couture) – 1960–1989, (men's) - 1969–1979
- Christian Benais & Gérard Penneroux (men's) - 1979–1983
- Dominique Morlotti (men's) - 1983–1992
- Gianfranco Ferré (women's & haute couture) – 1989–1997
- Patrick Lavoix (men's) - 1992–2000
- John Galliano (women's & haute couture) – 1997–2011
- Bill Gaytten (women's & haute couture) – 2011–2012
- Raf Simons (women's & haute couture) – 2012–2015
- Serge Ruffieux & Lucie Meier (women's & haute couture) 2015–2016
- Maria Grazia Chiuri (women's & haute couture) – 2016–2025
- Hedi Slimane (men's) – 2000–2007
- Kris Van Assche (men's) – 2007–2018
- Kim Jones (men's) – 2018–2025
- Jonathan Anderson (women's, men's & haute couture) – 2025–present
Retail Locations
As of April 2023, the company has 535 stores around the world:
- Asia: 143
- Africa: 6
- Europe: 192
- Middle East: 45
- North America: 117
- Oceania: 10
- South America: 2
See also
In Spanish: Christian Dior, S. A. para niños
- Dior Homme
- Parfums Christian Dior
- Vogue World 2024
