Behind the Savoir-Faire of 3 Iconic Dior Bags

by sharon santoni
a hand drawing a fashion drawing of a bag

Take a hypnotizing visual dive into the impressive savoir-faire behind three iconic bags from the French fashion House Dior.

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The Saddle Bag

The Dior Saddle Bag is a staple style that has been continuously reinvented to remain contemporary. Created in 1999 by then LVMH Chief Creative Director, John Galliano, to premiere on the Spring/Summer 2000 runway, it has enjoyed two decades of worship by fashion lovers around the world. The equestrian-influenced signature silhouette features branded metal detailing, a flap with magnetic closure and is shaped like โ€” you guessed it โ€” a saddlebag.

It is offered in different sizes and types of leather, embroidered canvas, patchwork prints, with and without the identifiable โ€œDโ€ stirrup charm that hangs down in the front. The Oblique Canvas Saddle Bag is outfitted in blue Dior Oblique embroidered canvas in the brand’s famous monogram pattern and antique, gold hardware for a modern feel.

The Lady D-Lite

An emblem of timeless elegance. First created in 1995, Dior’s Lady D-Lite bag debuted with great success at the Paul Cรฉzanne exhibition at Paris’s Grand Palais, where Bernadette Chirac (France’s then-first lady) presented it to Princess Diana of Wales. The emblematic bag โ€” also known as the chouchou โ€” is characterized by clean, architectural lines symbolic of the brand’s first in class craftsmanship, with metal detailing in the form of buttonholes, carabiners and “charms,” which are an homage to Monsieur Dior’s favored talismans.

For the Spring/Summer 2020 Ready-To-Wear collection, this iconic silhouette has been reinvented in a full tone-on-tone, embroidered “Cannage” motif, equipped with a matching shoulder strap. Classic, feminine and offered in a multitude of colors, the Lady D-Lite is an investment piece that can be passed down across generations.

The Book Tote

The epitome of casual elegance. An exquisite example of Dior’s impressive savoir-faire is a classic โ€” the Book Tote, designed by Creative Director Maria Grazia Chiuri (who drew inspiration from the House archives) for the brandโ€™s Spring/Summer 2018 collection. The Book Tote is offered in a variety of practical sizes, beautiful colors and eye-catching patterns and motifs; each is sprawled with the iconic “Christian Dior” signature on the front. 

The bag appears simple, but it’s anything but… the embroidered version requires over 1,500,000 stitches (37 hours of work)! The perfect travel companion, it was created to contain all your everyday essentials and also boasts room for accessories like oversized wallets and small leather pouches.

Read next: Virtual Tour of Christian Dior

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