Dior 30 Montaigne Lady Dior bag, dior.com. Photography courtesy Christian Dior. Since its 1995 debut in Paris — when France’s first lady, Bernadette Chirac, gifted it to Diana, Princess of Wales — the Lady Dior bag (renamed for Lady Diana) has been an enduring expression of the house’s savoir faire. The original stitched-leather Cannage design was inspired by a set of Napoleon III chairs that Christian Dior selected for his first show, held in 1947. In recent years, Lady Dior’s architectural form and D.i.o.r charms have been artfully interpreted by a long list of global creatives, including Gisela Colón, Hong Hao and Genieve Figgis.
This new incarnation, crafted exclusively for the 30 Montaigne boutique in Paris, takes inspiration from the iconic store. Sketches of the exterior adorn the bag, a design conceived by the house’s creative director, Maria Grazia Chiuri, and the Roman artist Pietro Ruffo. The hand-mounted handle, hardware eyelets, rivets and interior zip pocket echo the design’s origins, while a streamlined palette allows the intricate illustrations to sing. A nostalgic celebration of the brand’s storied past, the new lady of the house is a timeless treasure for the next generation of devotees.
