Living The Dior Dream: The French Maison Unveils New Flagship Store In Paris
As a temple to the Dior art de vivre, the luxury house’s renovated historic home at 30 Avenue Montaigne in Paris — now its largest flagship in the world — raises the bar in experiential retail
Star interior architect Peter Marino describes Dior’s recently reopened Paris flagship and HQ at 30 Avenue Montaigne as “a journey through the inner essence of the brand.” The couture house’s beating heart since Christian Dior himself chose it, in 1946, this iconic location is where all the women’s collections have come to life, starting with Christian Dior’s revolutionary ‘New Look’ which on February 12, 1947, was unveiled to salons so packed that some guests had to be crammed into the grand staircase.
Built in 1865 by Count Walewski, who was rumored to be the illegitimate son of Napoleon I, the storied hôtel particulier — with its elegant neoclassical façade — captured the designer’s imagination in 1946, as he scouted locations for his future couture house. Having spotted it while out on a stroll with the art dealer Pierre Colle, he later recalled: “It had to be 30 Avenue Montaigne. I was going to settle here and nowhere else!”
Today, after a two-year-plus renovation, the illustrious mansion opens a new chapter. Freed from its trompe l’oeil tarpaulin wrapping in March, it now stars among the headline retail destinations in a new wave of experiential flagships that are shaping up to be the next big thing in luxury retail.
A veritable pantheon of Dior’s various universes, not a detail is overlooked when it comes to seducing the shopper’s eye. But an array of additional features, ranging from La Suite Dior, an exceptional foray into hospitality, to a third-level garden filled with apple trees and roses, reaffirms a new positioning as a one-stop destination for experiencing every facet of the Dior art de vivre in the very heart of its historic location.
Dotted throughout the new boutique, conceived as a succession of airy, open spaces blending Louis XVI influences with Deconstructivist architecture, is a series of contemporary artworks, from a suspended sculpture by Paul Cocksedge evoking white pages (or couture sketches) caught in a gust of wind to a towering rose sculpture by Isa Genzken which punctuates a central circular staircase.
On the ground floor – comprising a leather goods department, an alcove dedicated to beauty, fragrances and well-being, a shoe corner and the women’s and men’s collections – visitors may take tea at the Pâtisserie Dior and sample delicacies inspired by Dior codes, such as the Étoile Dior, by an interior garden.
Aside from constructing breathtaking gowns, the founding couturier was a renowned gourmet, and on the first floor – also home to the Dior Joaillerie boutique, a haute couture salon, a personalization space and an area presenting the latest creations in the Dior Lady Art series – the new Monsieur Dior restaurant serves up twists on his favorite recipes, revisited by the talented Chef Jean Imbert and served on porcelain tableware that may also be purchased in the adjacent Dior Maison space.
Peppered throughout the store, meanwhile, 30 Montaigne exclusives include a boxed set of four miniature bags – the Lady Dior, Dior Caro, 30 Montaigne and Saddle – embroidered with sketches, a numbered edition of the Miss Dior eau de parfum presented in a miniature trunk, and a selection of evening dresses in exclusive hues. Displayed in a glass case, like a museum exhibit, a gold version of the Lady Dior handbag designed in collaboration with the artist Penny Slinger depicts the building’s façade.
“The idea was to welcome clients in the boutique, and allow them to spend the whole day at 30 Montaigne, sit in the garden, call a friend and have a coffee, or enjoy lunch at Monsieur Dior without leaving the space and the Dior universe. It was also important to include in a place of commerce quiet spaces such as the garden close to the men’s department, where you can experience the silence and calm, with the natural light of the day,” explains Peter, whose vision was to make it “unexpected, new, elegant and joyful,” reinterpreting the spirit of the house and heritage codes in a contemporary setting, “blossoming with fine details created by meticulous artisans.”
“We have symbols of the brand, such as the toile de Jouy in the ladies’ fitting rooms. It’s very difficult for a modern architect to use toile de Jouy, but we put it abstractly on the wall, on the floor, on the doors, and everything, using these large floating squares,” he adds. “So, I think by using these codes, we are closer to Monsieur Dior. It might not work in other places, but I think it works really well here in Paris!”
The presence of Monsieur Dior intensifies in the site’s exhibition space, La Galerie Dior, accessed through a separate entrance and by reservation only. Opening with the iconic Bar suit from Christian Dior’s debut collection, the tour moves from original sketches and archival documents, such as illustrated advertising campaigns by René Gruau, to a recreation of the couturier’s first office followed by a set of windows in the floor giving onto the models’ ‘cabine’, or fitting room, on the lower level, now restored to its original state with sound effects and videos recapturing the frenzied mood of the preparations for the early couture shows held in the house’s salons.
From an Enchanted Gardens storyline to a monumental ballgown room, themed areas showcase signature Dior creations by the founding couturier and his six successors: Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferré, John Galliano, Raf Simons and Maria Grazia Chiuri, including the exquisite, flower-encrusted ‘Miss Dior’ dress from the Spring-Summer 1949 haute couture collection, a piece that inspired the house’s first scent. Visitors leave via a staircase flanked by Diorama windows showcasing colour-grouped swaths of more than a thousand miniature haute couture creations, shoes, jewellery, and beauty accessories dating from 1947 to present-day.
A stay in Dior’s sprawling private suite, meanwhile – an experience that comes with a constellation of tailor-made perks, from an intimate soirée in the Salon Historique or an exclusive tour of the new on-site high jewellery ateliers to a private overnight shopping event in the boutique – offers guests a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to literally live the Dior dream, with their very own set of keys to 30 Montaigne.
For more information, please visit dior.com
Images courtesy of Adrien Dirand, Kristen Pelou, Association Willy Maylad, Pat English/Courtesy of Dior