Dior: Memories of Childhood

The family home in Granville, Normandy, was a haven where Christian Dior's creative identity first began to unfold. In the 1910s and 1920s, he discovered a love of flowers and gardens in the villa's grounds, and was initiated into the arts and fashion as the Diors called on artists to decorate the villa, had their portraits painted, and collected exquisite objets d'art.

The tranquil, nourishing atmosphere of the villa was enriched by the booming, optimistic climate of the Belle Époque, echoing in the entrepreneurial endeavours of the Dior family and in the town of Granville, which had become a fashionable seaside resort.

Accompanying the exhibition at the Musée Christian Dior in Granville, this volume traces how Dior's hometown became fertile ground for his talent and gave rise to the House of Dior. It foregrounds gardens as a key source for couture and perfume, examines how Granville's social life, from summer fêtes to its carnival, fired his imagination, and shows how his family's business acumen underpinned the future maison.

Featuring rare archives, campaign photography, and emblematic creations by successive artistic directors inspired by the Belle Époque, the book illuminates the origins of Dior's enduring aesthetic and the visionary spirit that continues to guide the maison today.