Christian Dior: The Biography

by Marie-France Pochna

Jupe virevoltante de 20 mètres de tour, chapeau incliné sur l'oeil, démarche insolente, quand elle apparaît, le 12 février 1947, ce n'est pas un rêve, c'est-véritable allégorie de Paris-la féminité incarnée, coquine, voluptueuse, mélange de folie et d'élégance. Le "new look", qui rendit Christian Dior instantanément célèbre, dynamisa une époque qui s'enlisait dans la dureté de l'après-guerre en ressuscitant un art de vivre auquel nul n'osait plus croire. Ce furent les grandes heures de la "cofe society" cocktail champagnisé de créateurs en herbe et d'un Tout-Paris aristocratique encore plongé dans la splendeur du XIXe siècle. Mais ce sont les Américains, alors fascinés par la vieille Europe, qui furent les vrais artisans de son succès. Dior le comprit et sut, le premier, commercialiser cette tradition de goût et d'élégance propre à la France. Véritable roman que Io vie de cet homme qui vit ses aspirations artistiques brisées par sa mère, resta longtemps à la traîne de ses amis - Cocteau, Poulenc, Max Jacob, Maurice Sachs -, et connut des années noires, malade, ruiné, sans emploi. Mais, quand la chance se présenta, ce solitaire, ce timide, se révéla un bâtisseur de génie, un authentique patron et un précurseur. Cette biographie - la première - dévoile l'homme méconnu, qui a créé la griffe la plus célèbre du monde. Des centaines de témoignages et journaux intimes révèlent un être généreux et drôle jusqu'à la bouffonnerie, mais profondément secret et qui cacha son homosexualité. Une existence bercée par l'amitié, la musique et les fleurs aurait suffi à son bonheur et une seule chose, dans la gloire, lui aurait manqué : le repos. Dix années qui continuent de briller à travers son nom : Christian Dior meurt en pleine gloire à 52 ans.

Genres: Fashion, Biography, Nonfiction

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[Patricia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Couldn’t get into it. Kinda boring

[Maria Safta · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't understand how can someone write a book so boring about a life so interesting. 🙄🙄🙄

[Artem Vardanian · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book will not let you enjoy the story of Christian Dior's life. Imagine like you're watching from a distance how Marie-France Pochna enjoying researching/toying with facts, historical anecdotes and insinuations about Dior. She's living her best life writing this book. It's not for you to read, but for her to write.
Marie-France Pochna drowns you in fountain of unrelated events, famous and unknown French names and moments in time she considered important. Some parts are boring and long and some are too short and looks unfinished. Imagine you invited your old aunt for dinner, and she came and stay for every dinner of the week. She keeps telling you the same stories that you've heard before, but time to time you are capturing some new details and nuances. You can't kick the aunt out, but also you can't be sure where the details are coming from. Is it a treasure cave of her memories or a trash can of her dementia.
I gave up reading at around 30% and continued with audiobook. I can't consider this time wasted, it's for sure better than watching Alexander on Netflix, but if you want to understand better the driving force behind Dior's success, or his personal life, look for other books.

You can skip this one safely.

[Sandra San · Rating 3 out of 5]

Biographies tend to be my favorite genre, so I was excited to read Christian Dior’s story, but maaan I struggled to get though this! It was detailed but not always in important ways. For myself, the general takeaway was the power he held in influencing the masses and how skirt lengths were contentious topics time and time again.

[KH · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little less fascinating then story of Gucci or Versace fashion houses but the time was also different. An interesting piece including story of Mr Dior growing to become one of the most successful French designers.

[Shaney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It have a wonderful overview or Dior’s whole life, which made me appreciate his ride to fame that much more.

[Leontine Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good introductory bio of Christian Dior. I don't feel like I know what really inspired his creations but I do appreciate the author's chronology about his licensing deals.

[Lee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Translated work. Maybe I am just not understanding how the French structure their biographies, but this book was meandary, and I often times did not feel like Pochna was getting to a point.

[Maria Gjieli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christian Dior is such a fantastic and adventurous man , along with John Halliano! Dior's life was most definitly different than any other designer's life I know about. Great book of the life of Christian Dior! It explains his childhood and his partners and how he became noticed in the designer industry in Paris. Its really inspiring. He really inspired me in lots of tings. He was a different kind of designer , him and John Galliano. I would recommand this bookto anyone who loves Givency , John Galliano , and fashion.

[Z · Rating 3 out of 5]

Christian Dior was an incredible fashion designer, who's style transcends time. Before this book, I knew only a little about him. This is an in depth and well researched book. I am amazed at how Ms. Pochna was able to retrieve the numerous various interviews, with those that knew him. I appreciate the irony that his mother thought it beneath their family to become a dressmaker, yet she remained his source of inspiration throughout his entire life.