Many of us are familiar with the brand Christian Dior, but not much is known about the man and how his legacy came to be. In AppleTV+'s new series The New Look, we get a glimpse of the designer’s life during the Second World War, his story of survival, and the rebirth of French fashion at the hands of some of our most beloved maisons.
Coco Chanel, Pierre Balmain, and Cristóbal Balenciaga are just some of the well-known characters that helped weave the story of Dior. But among all the people who appeared on the screen, the one that stood out the most had to be Catherine Dior (played by Maisie Williams), the younger sister of Christian.
Compared to the maison, much less is known about his sister. But fun fact: It’s partly because of her that Christian Dior became the brand we know today. Ahead are five things you need to know about Catherine Dior.
5 Things to Know About Catherine Dior
1. Catherine Dior was a French Resistance fighter in World War 2.
Because the Dior name has become synonymous with luxury, one would automatically assume that the Diors lived a comfortable life. But as the show depicted, their life was far from glamorous. At the time, France was occupied by the Nazis, and Catherine would become a member of the Resistance in late 1941.
In 1944, she would be arrested by the Gestapo, along with 26 other Resistance fighters, and tortured before being deported to the Ravensbrück women's concentration camp in Northern Germany. Christian relentlessly tried to get her sister back but it wasn't until a year later that she would be liberated and returned to Paris.
Because of her contribution to the Resistance, she would later be awarded the Croix de Guerre, Combatant Volunteer Cross of the Resistance, Combatant's Cross, King's Medal for Courage in the Cause of Freedom, and was even named a Chevalière of the Legion of Honour.
2. Catherine Dior launched a fresh-flower business.
After the war, she would start a fresh-flower business. It’s because of this that many believe that she was the inspiration behind one of the most beloved floral fragrances: Miss Dior.
Legend has it that during a brainstorming session for fragrance names with his muse Mitzah Bricard, Christian Dior's sister Catherine walked into the room. Bricard exclaimed, "Ah, here's Miss Dior!" and Christian is said to have responded, "Miss Dior—now there's a name for my perfume!"
3. Catherine Dior was the inspiration behind many of Dior’s creations.
In addition to Miss Dior, Catherine also served as the muse for the Caro bag, the maison's interpretation of the flap bag, launched in 2021. Adopting the code name "Caro" as a member of the resistance, she left her mark on this stylish creation.
Furthermore, in September 2019, Maria Grazia Chiuri, the creative director at Dior, paid tribute to Catherine by dedicating their Spring/Summer 2020 runway collection to her, drawing inspiration from her profound love for flowers.
4. Catherine Dior was key in preserving Christian Dior’s legacy.
After Christian’s death on October 24, 1957, Catherine went to great lengths to preserve her brother’s legacy. In October 1963, she publicly cut ties with her niece Françoise Dior after her marriage to a British Neo-Nazi leader Colin Jordan. Catherine made sure that her brother’s name and their family name would not be tarnished by their niece’s relationship.
Then in 1999, the Christian-Dior Museum in Granville was inaugurated. There, they donated a dress that once belonged to their beloved mother, Madeleine, and Catherine became the museum’s honorary president. She continued to preserve her brother’s legacy until the day she died on June 17, 2008. She was 90 years old and was buried near her brother.
5. Catherine Dior never became the face of Dior the brand.
Despite her close relationship with her brother and being the inspiration for many of Dior’s creations, Catherine never became the face of Dior. She was never present in any of Dior’s advertisements nor did she walk in any of his fashion shows. She was known to wear some of his creations but even then she still looked very much like herself instead of someone who was meant to model for the brand.
Hey, Preview readers! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Tiktok, and Twitter to stay up to speed on all things trendy and creative. We’ll curate the most stylish feed for you!
