Draped in timeless elegance

In the archives of the Dior Heritage center, just steps away from its headquarters at 30 Avenue Montaigne in Paris, there are several sketches by Christian Dior himself that would definitely captivate the Chinese audience. These sketches, drawn in 1948, just two years after he founded House of Dior, depict his idea of the fashionable women of Beijing and Shanghai. One notable sketch is from the 1948 spring-summer haute couture collection, featuring a gown called Shanghai. Although Dior never set foot on Chinese soil, it is evident that he harbored a deep fascination for China from an early age.

In 1986, the French fashion brand debuted on the Chinese mainland, presenting its winter fur collection at the Great Wall Sheraton Hotel in Beijing. In 1994, the fashion house finally opened its first boutique in China, becoming one of the first Western luxury brands to enter the market.

Since then, Dior has navigated through three decades of transformation in the Chinese luxury market. The brand opens on Thursday the long-awaited House of Dior Beijing in the city's popular Sanlitun area.

It is a strategic project that has taken the brand three years to develop. Spanning five floors, it is not only Dior's largest boutique in China but also serves as a lifestyle destination that integrates high-end luxury retail, fine dining and art, aiming to give Chinese consumers an unprecedented brand experience.

"Sanlitun is one of Beijing's most dynamic cultural and arts districts, as well as the epicenter of fashion and luxury. As the heart of such an inspiring creative hub, everything was in place for us to establish this unique Dior space. This is a groundbreaking venue thanks to its architecture and spectacular dimensions, as well as the exceptional experiences it offers. Celebrating French art de vivre, it also blends our heritage and boldest innovations," says Delphine Arnault, chairman and CEO of Christian Dior Couture, introducing the store to China Daily.

Appointed CEO of Dior in February 2023, the company's first female CEO, there are perhaps few names more dazzling in the luxury market than Delphine Arnault. Dior is one of the earliest and most cherished acquisitions of Delphine's father, Bernard Arnault, chairman and CEO of LVMH (Louis Vuitton, Moet, and Hennessy). Delphine Arnault is also the longest-serving member among her siblings at LVMH.

Delphine Arnault began her career outside the family empire. She worked at McKinsey & Company, gaining strategic consulting experience. She later joined John Galliano to gain fashion house experience independent of LVMH.She joined LVMH in 2000 and served as deputy managing director for Christian Dior Couture from 2001 to 2013. Before being appointed CEO of Dior, she served as executive vice-president of Louis Vuitton, overseeing product strategy, creation and design, art direction and designer relations, shaping LV's modern creative era and helping to strengthen it as one of the world's most valuable luxury brands.

Since her first visit to Beijing in 2008 for Christian Dior and Chinese Artists exhibition at UCCA, she has been a regular visitor to China.

"Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Hangzhou (Zhejiang province), Chengdu (Sichuan province), and Shenzhen (Guangdong province) — each city has its own unique spirit and rhythm — from Beijing's deep cultural heritage and Shanghai's dynamic modern energy to Chengdu's creative vitality," she says.

The new House of Dior Beijing is a work of Pritzker Prize-winning architect Christian de Portzamparc, a long-time Dior collaborator who is internationally acclaimed for his spectacular designs, which include the Dior flagships in Seoul, opened in 2015, and Geneva, opened in 2024. He also designed other notable projects in China, such as the Opera Hall of the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, the Suzhou Bay Grand Theater, and the China National Convention Center Phase II.

The House of Dior Beijing facade is embellished with ogival forms in the shape of petals with clean-cut lines, evoking the movement of the toiles Christian Dior was famous for in his haute couture dresses. The edifice is punctuated with golden artisanal glass tiles, a powerful color traditionally reserved for Chinese royalty in the ancient times.

The design reveals Dior's luxury universes in a pared-down atmosphere — from men's and women's ready-to-wear to accessories, fine jewelry and timepieces to Dior Maison objects and La Collection Privee fragrances. The selection is enriched with original creations imagined exclusively for this location and available in limited editions.

Paying homage to the enduring friendships woven between Dior and the artists, this boutique also serves as a gallery, presenting a series of captivating artworks throughout its rooms, including paintings by Chinese artists Wang Xiyao and Xu Zhen, furniture by Franck Evennou, Claude Lalanne and Gio Ponti, special commissions from Chinese artist Hong Hao, and a floral composition by Azuma Makoto, subtly relating the love that the founding couturier cultivated for flowers and nature.

"Prolonging this enthralling dialogue between art, architecture and artisanship in France and China, uniting heritage, iconic codes, and contemporary creativity, the decor of House of Dior Beijing is punctuated with works by international and Chinese artists, demonstrating Dior's respect and admiration for local artistry and long-standing engagement with Chinese contemporary art," says Delphine Arnault.

"Over the years, we have built a close, ongoing relationship with China's cultural and artistic community, collaborating with many remarkable talents through projects like 'Dior Lady Art' and 'Lady Dior as Seen By'. It has been a truly inspiring journey of creative exchange."

Launched in 2016, "Dior Lady Art" is an art initiative that invites global contemporary artists to reinterpret the iconic Lady Dior handbag into limited-edition art pieces. "Lady Dior as Seen By" is a global artistic project that debuted in an exhibition in Shanghai in 2011, inviting contemporary artists to reinterpret the iconic Lady Dior bag through sculpture, installation, photography, video and experimental media. Each artist freely deconstructs the icon beyond its functional form, transforming it into an autonomous artwork.

The journey continues to the top floor, which mirrors Dior's design flair at 30 Montaigne. A monumental spiral staircase elevates visitors to a room inhabited by white toiles, iconic three-dimensional outlines of garments, demonstrating the savoir-faire deployed in the Ateliers. Among them, a ball gown in deep red magnifies the decor's "color of life" — in Christian Dior's own words. VIP lounges and a private terrace add further exclusivity to this refined experience.

The final surprise is the Monsieur Dior restaurant, run by three-star Michelin Chef Anne-Sophie Pic. An enchanting alliance of the art of flavor and fashion offers an unparalleled, multisensory moment, marking the brand's first restaurant in China.

The project embodies both the brand's forward-looking vision and the city's economic dynamism. As one of the first top-tier luxury brands to launch a flagship boutique of this scale and with a multidimensional concept, Dior underscores its strong confidence in the Chinese market and its recognition of Beijing's creative vitality.