Brand Review

Dior was founded in 1946 by Christian Dior,  an artist from Normandy, France. He began his early life selling his sketches on the streets of France until his Father gave him the money to open up a small art gallery. He sold paintings for many famous names such as Pablo Picasso. Unfortunately though, during the Great Depression his mother and brother died which forced his Fathers business into bankruptcy. Christian Dior was forced to close his gallery, however this is what drove him into the fashion industry. He went to work for Piguet until he was called upon by the army. There he met Pierre Balmain and he and Balmain went to work for Lucien Long as his primary designers.

On February 12 1947, He debuted his first collection. The lines were quickly named the "New Look" a phrase coined by Carmel Snow, US Harpers Bazaar editor. The iconic look consisted of a calf length full skirt, cinched in at the waist, with a fuller bust. His elegant designs conflicted with the grim post war reality of Europe. Woman had been taking the place of men, working in factories and covering their female form with baggy overalls. Dior strived to bring back the classic feminine shape to once again bring a sense of elegance and femininity to the world. He wanted to empower women and liberate them from the oversized silhouettes they had been used to in recent times. The foundations of Dior still stick to this idea of the female form.

The Dior woman is someone who cares deeply about how she presents herself and whom she associates with. DiorMAG said the Dior woman of the S/S16 Catwalk is..
"The Dior woman for spring is as delicate and fresh as the multitude of flowers that blossomed as the decor for the show. Echoing the outfits in the collection, eyes are soft, subtly shaded pink with a gentle cloud of shadow on the upper lid rising up to the eyebrow arch, and the brows are redrawn with blending pencil. The fresh and light complexion is unified using an evanescent foundation, and then cheekbones brightened with a pink-tinted blush. In this same spirit of beauty, lips are firstly moisturized with a nourishing pomade then lightly coated with a fresh and radiant pink to lend a natural glossiness. The nails are painted in pastel tones in harmony with the makeup. Hair is lightly pulled back into a low ponytail."

The products that Dior create are a combination of cult hero products and different, individual products that are for the creative and confident Dior woman. There main consumers are females who usually wont hold back from treating themselves. The target audience ranges from late teens to 80+ as the brand is so well established and classic, the audience know they can rely on these products.

Throughout this project I have kept the brands ethos in mind. I have applied the right feminine characteristics to my shoots to relate back to the idea of the female form, whilst staying true to the brands image and creating classic, yet slightly avant garde looks.
The research I carried out behind the brand really helped to influence my designs and widen the areas I took inspiration from. This meant I could give a real variance to my looks whilst still keeping it in theme with the brand.