Dior Lady Art #5 returns to Malaysia
The story goes back to 1995 when Dior meticulously crafted a bag from the finest leather paired with intricate stitching that evoked the Cannage motif of Christian Dior’s Napoleon III chairs. According to legend, the artisanal gem was made in just a single night and would later be gifted to Diana, the Princess of Wales, by France’s former First Lady Bernadette Chirac during her trip to Paris.
The top-handled bag became an instant favourite, making many subsequent appearances alongside the princess who went on to order it in every available version. Before long, it became incredibly sought after and eventually gained the stature that propelled it into the ranks of a timeless classic. In 1996, the bag was rechristened to “Lady Dior” in homage to her irreverent style.
It has been two decades since its conception and the Lady Dior remains one of the French house’s enduring designs, reinvented in different materials and colours. Its signature silhouette stays untouched and it serves as a testament to Dior’s exceptional savoir-faire. Above that, it has undergone the most ingenious interpretations courtesy of the Dior Lady Art project.
Initiated by the brand’s creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri in 2016, the annual project serves as the House’s dedication to creativity and freedom of expression as well as a manifestation of the Lady Dior’s recognisable appeal. International artists are invited to create their own vision of the bag, with the special collaboration initially open to only American and British artists before it was broadened to the global arena.
For the Dior Lady Art’s fifth installment, the tradition continues. This time giving carte blanche to ten esteemed artists from around the world including India, China and Russia to infuse their own aesthetic onto the timeless classic to metamorphosise it into wearable art. Every last detail, from the size to the fabric and lucky charm, is given new life through the kaleidoscopic lens of these contemporary art-world darlings.
The result? A total of ten different visionary Lady Dior masterpieces from these talents: Joël Andrianomearisoa, Judy Chicago, Gisela Colon, Song Dong, Bharti Kher, Mai-Thu Perret, Recycle Group, Chris Soal, Claire Tabouret and Olga Titus.
Starting January 8, fashion enthusiasts get to admire these extraordinary beauties up-close at Dior Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, one of the boutiques worldwide selected to showcase these objects of art and desire.
