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Christian Dior (1905-1957) was a French fashion designer.MFIMG_1038

Early life :

Christian Dior was born in Granville, a seaside town on the coast of Normandy. His father, Maurice Dior,  was the owner of a highly successful fertilizer manufacturer. When Christian dior was about five years old, the family moved to Paris, but, still returned to Granville for summer holidays.

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His family had hoped he would become a diplomat, but Dior was passionate about art. However, submitted to pressure from his father, he enrolled at the Ecole des Sciences Politiques. At the same time, he used to sell his fashion  sketches for about 10 cents each…

In 1928, Dior opened a small art gallery with money he received from his father.  Dior’s gallery handled the works of such artists as Matisse, Dali, Braque, Picasso, Cocteau and Max Jacob. But 3 years later, after the death of his mother and elder brother and a financial disaster in the family’s business during the Great Depression, the gallery had to be closed.

 

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Yes Christian Dior looks like Alfred Hitchcok !

GF - Avec Mr Dior - IMG_1015Early work in Fashion :

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Dior began to sell his fashion sketches and in 1935, landed a job illustrating the magazine Figaro illustré. In 1937, he was hired as a design assistant by Paris couturier Piguet who gave him the opportunity to design 3 Piguet collections. Whilst at Piguet, Dior worked alongside Pierre Balmain. Christian Dior left Piguet when he was called up for military service. In 1942, he left the army and joined the fashion house of Lucien Lelong.

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First collection : the “New Look” style.

His first collection (1947)

After the WWII, in 1946, Dior wished to start under his own name. His first collection called “Corolle” (= the botanical term corolla or circlet of flower petals in English)  was presented in 1947.  It featured narrow-waisted tightly fitted bodices and full pleated skirts. This became known as the “New Look” style. 

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IMG_1534“You can wear black at any time. Tony can wear it at any age. You may wear it for almost any occasion. “A little black frock” is essential to a woman’s wardrobe.” Christian Dior

He was the master at creating shapes and silhouettes. He was then the most successful fashion designer in the world. He launched at the same time his first perfume “Miss Dior”. 

“I have designed flower women” (Christian Dior)

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The New Look revolutionized women’s dresses and reestablished Paris as the centre of the fashion world after WWII.His designs have been worn by film stars and Royalty alike.   From 1955 until 1960, Yves Saint Laurent worked for Dior in Paris. GF - 1950 Dior L'officiel 4

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In 1957 Dior House represented half of the French exportation of fashion. 

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Death : 

“Finally, everything that has been part of my life, whether I wanted it to or not, has expressed itself in my dresses” – Christian Dior

He died in Italy in 1957, of a heart attack at the age of 52. he was buried in Cimetière de Callian in Var (France.).

The Christian Dior’s house is now owned by Groupe Arnault. There are more than 160 Dior shops in the world.

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“Les Rhumbs” : Christian Dior childhood home (it’s now Christian Dior Museum)

les rhumbsIt’s a Belle Epoque style 19th century villa standing on the cliff and over looking the sea. It’s located in Granville, Normandy, not far from Mont Saint Michel. It is the only French Museum dedicated to a couturier. It presents Haute couture garments on 3 floors. The garden is still arranged as an English landscape park as it was by Madeleine Dior, Christian Dior’s mother. 

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Christian Dior’s parents bought this villa in 1905. Christian Dior was particularly fond of this place. he wrote in his autobiography “Christian Dior and I” : “I have most tender and amaze memories… of my childhood home. I would even say that my life and my stile owe almost everything to its site and architecture.”

In 1932, shortly after Christian Dior’s mother Madeleine had died, the father got ruined by the crisis and the property had to be sold. The villa was purchased by the town of Granville and the garden was open to the public from 1938. In 1997, the villa became the “Christian Dior Museum”The villa was purchased by the town of Granville and the garden was open to the public from 1938. In 1997, the villa became the “Christian Dior Museum”

Christian Dior perfumes : 

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IMG_1542Some of his most famous perfumes : 

  • 1947 : Miss Dior
  • 1966 : first Eau de Toilette for men, Eau Sauvage
  • 1985 : Poison which becomes a worldwide best-seller
  • 1988 : Fahrenheit
  • 1991 : Dune
  • 1999 : J’adorePF - Pub - IMG_1032

Practical information :

Christian Dior – 30 avenue Montaigne – Paris 8 (near the Champs Elysées) : A historical spot for fashion, which saw the birth of the New Look”. Dior presented its ready-to-wear collections for men and women there, as was as perfume and accessories. Babu Dior can be found just nex door. Opening times : Monday-Saturday 10am – 7pm  – La Maison Dior : www.dior.com/couture/fr_fr/la-maison-dior/dior-en-histoires/30-avenue-montaigne   – More about the “Maison Dior” : www.dior.com

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  • Opening time : from Thursday 5 May to Sunday 25 September 2016 
  • Every day from 10:00 to 18:30
    Ticket office closes at 18:00.
  • The shop inside the museum : selection of books related to fashion and Christian Dior, catalogue-books of the pas exhibitions, postcards, posters, historical fragrances and Dior gifts.
  • A tea room : in the heart of Christian childhood’s garden, overlooking the sea, opened during July and August from 12 to 6.30 pm. free access independent of the museum’s entrance.
  • Address : Villa “Les Rhumbs”, 1 rue d’Estouteville – 50400 GRANVILLE Tél : 02 33 61 48 21 – 
  • Website :  musee-dior-granville.com   

Some books about Christian Dior :

Song : The English singer-songwriter Morrissey released a song titled “Christian Dior” as an B-side to his 2006 single “In the future when All’s well”PF - IMG_1008

The Cinema and Christian Dior : 

“Dior and I” (documentary 2015) : Dior and I brings the viewer inside the storied world of the Christian Dior fashion house with a privileged, behind-the-scenes look at the creation of Raf Simons’ first haute couture collection as its new artistic director

Official trailer : 

Some actresses who wore Dior dresses :

Marlene Dietrich : “No Dior, no Dietrich”

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Marlène Dietrich, Brigitte Bardot, Sophia Loren, Marilyn Monroe, Ava Gardner, Olivia de Haviland, Sharon Stone, Monica Bellucci, Elisabeth Taylor, Rita Hayworth…  Now : Cotillard, Charlize Theron, Natalie Portman

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Let Paris become “your Paris”, the time of your stay !

Visit Paris, with Ann Jeanne in Paris, native Parisian : 

  • You’d like to feel like a local and having a tour in a Paris neighborhood, but you don’t feel having a tour with a group ?
  • You’d like to discover Paris off the beaten path and get a real feel of an authentic Paris ?
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Anne à Montsouris - Format original-2637WELCOME !

  • I’d be delighted to welcome you and share with you “my” Paris. And Paris will be “your” city too 🙂
  • The tours are private (with you only or you and the person you choose), at your pace. 
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 Ann Jeanne in Paris’ Private walking tours

IMG_9589“Le Bon Marché” (= “The good deal”) is a department store located on the Left bank in the 7th arrondissement of Paris.

 

Actually, a huge luxury department store. Very upscale. Very pleasant to wander through. Grand and elegant. High-end products… with the matching prices. 

Fashion, beauty, a food hall…, several restaurants, cafes and tearooms, VIP services (Personal stylists, valet parking)…

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Aristide and Marguerite Boucicaut

A little History : It’s the  oldest Paris department store It was  founded by Aristide Boucicaut, in 1852. It sells a wide range of high-end goods and has a food department called “La grande Epicerie”. It was enlarged in 1872 with help from the firm of Gustave Eiffel, creator of the Eiffel Tower (for part of its internal structure made of cast iron).

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Andrée Putman

The central escalators were designed by Andrée Putman (1925-1973 – French interior and product designer – (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrée_Putman). It has an Art deco glass ceiling and a beautiful balustrade.

Le Bon Marché is divided into 2 parts : a building with fashion, beauty…etc and La Grande Epicerie (the food and all what’s linked to the home)

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Scarves in Le Bon Marché

Fashion, beauty…etc

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Le Bon Marché

  • Ground Floor :
    • Small boutiques selling the most prestigious brands : LV, Dior, Chanel…
    • Fashion accessories : scarves, jewelry, hats, bags, gloves, watches
    • Beauty department : make-up, perfumes, 
  • Lower ground-floor : the Men’s department
  • 1st floor
    • fashion department (an excellent selection of well known designer labels : Lanvin, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Roger Vivier, Claude Pierlot, Christian Dior, …)
    • an impressive lingerie department with the very best brands
  • 2nd floor :
    • fashionBeauty department
    • furniture department
  • 3rd floor :
    • Children’s department  : fashion, books, toys
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La Grande Epicerie

La Grande Epicerie (= Le Bon Marché’s food hall) A visual experience.

At the ground floor of La Grande Epicerie of Le Bon Marché : the freshest ingredients from the very best brands, a cave which is a must-see, a beautiful pastry counter, an amazing cheese counter, products from around the world : italian goods, American goods…, Lavender mustard, chestnuts in honey, more than 100 types of chocolate..

At the 1st floor : kitchen section, tableware, furniture collections…

 

 

Video : discover La Grande Epicerie

The restaurants and cafés of Le Bon Marché :

La Table : The new restaurant at the 1st floor of La Grande Epicerie (see below) – French cuisine – Du lundi au samedi, de 10h30 à 19h30. www.lebonmarche.com/media/pdf/carte_la-table_01-2015.pdf

Le Balthazar : 1st floor Mon-Sat 10.30am to 8pm

Sunless Howard : coffee shop – Mon-Sat 10am à 7pm

Rose Bakery tea room : a tea room – stay or take-away – 2nd floor – 10.30am to 6.30pm – 

Primo Piano : for a light lunch or a drink and/or a pastry. 2nd floor mon-frieday 10am to 7pm

Le Comptoir : light lunch Mon-friday 12am to 3pm

And 3 other places to have a meal…

IMG_6757Practical details : 

Address : 24, rue de Sèvres – Paris 7  www.lebonmarche.com 8.30am-9pm Mon-Sat

Metro stop : Sèvres Babylone – Line 10

Opening hours : 10am-8pm Mon-Tues-Wed-Sat // 10am-9pm Thurs-Fri

La Grande Epicerie (Le Bon Marché’s foodhall : www.lagrandeepicerie.fr, 8.30am-9pm Mon-Sat)

Reading : Emile Zola : “Au Bonheur des Dames” : the 11th novel in the Rougon-Macquart series : a novel about changes in society during the Second Empire and about the birth of modern retailing

 

 

My advice :

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  • Definitely, my favorite Paris department store
  • In my opinion, the most user-friendly, much less crowded compare to Les galeries Lafayette or Le Printemps. The atmosphere is much more relaxed. A luxurious experience. A nice and efficient service; the staff is very helpful. The products are displayed in a much more tasteful manner. And it’s in a very nice neighborhood (nearby Saint Germain des Prés) and right next to a metro station (Sèvres Babylone)
  • Worth the visit. Definitly the department store where I would go for shopping or browsing if  visiting Paris. A very pleasant experience even if you just look around and do not buy anything.Though, I would still go to Les Galeries Lafayette for its beautiful Art Nouveau architecture and to Le Printemps for its terrace and its view over Paris. 
  • Don’t forget to bring your passport in order to have tax-free/duty-free shopping.
  • Don’t miss the food hall. Street entrance. Amazing. 

 

Anne à Montsouris - Format original-2637YOUR Private walk, with Ann Jeanne in Paris, native Parisian

  • You’d like to feel like a local and having a tour in a Paris neighborhood, but you don’t feel having a tour with a group ?
  • You’d like to discover Paris off the beaten path ?
    You’d like to see Paris in another perspective and to know more about Paris lifestyle

WELCOME !

CONTACT me for a private walking tour and EXPERIENCE PARIS as a local

  • You only, or you and the person you choose.
  • Duration of the tour : from 2 hours. It includes a coffee in an authentic cafe
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For more details : The toursBooking and Pricing

Don’t hesitate to contact me