The Dior Lady bag has become an icon in its own right. Gaining its name from Diana, Princess of Wales, who was gifted the bag by the first lady of France in 1995. At the time, the bag, which was designed by Gianfranco Ferré, was named the Chouchou. The elegant accessory was not yet on sale publicly, and upon receiving it, Lady Diana immediately fell in love and even commissioned a further edition in blue.
Dior decided to rename the bag after the icon, and it has remained ever since, becoming perhaps the most recognisable of all the Maison’s accessories. The Lady Dior features the brand’s distinctive cannage, and its chic architectural lines and boxy style make it a symbol of modernity and elegance.
In 2016, the fashion house launched the Dior Lady Art project, giving a carefully selected group of artists carte blanche to reimagine the bag in their image. The artists were invited to reinterpret this icon, injecting their own style. Today, seven years later, the eighth edition of the project has been revealed.
Eight, being Christian Dior’s lucky number, makes this a very special edition of the project. The Parisian fashion house has partnered with a series of artists, including Jeffrey Gibson, Gilbert & George, Lee Kun-Yong, Ludovic Nkoth, and Hilary Pecis. This year’s artists originate from locations as far away as China and Japan, to the USA, United Kingdom and everything in between.
One artist, whose colourful interpretation of the icon is based on her own paintings, is British-born Michaela Yearwood-Dan. Known for her works featuring contrasting motifs and vivid colours, Yearwood-Dan’s poetic creations seem to offer the imagination of a new world of possibilities. Her uplifting, vibrant artworks, featuring visually striking abstract landscapes, bring a sense of joy to all who see them.
For her collaboration with Dior, Yearwood-Dan applies her powerful yet delicate style to two versions of the Lady Dior. Her “Let Me Hold You” installation is expressed in three dimensions, thanks to the use of a variety of textiles and beads which are applied to the body of the bags. These precious embroideries reproduce the effects of textures found in her paintings. Metal flower petals, directly inspired by her own ceramic works, are featured on one of the designs, while the D-I-O-R charms are revisited with colour and unexpected details.
More information on the Lady Dior Art project can be found at dior.com
