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14 Sep 2021

A Dinner Set Inspired by a Parisian Apartment

In the latest collection from Maison Dior, artistic director Cordelia de Castellane invokes the floral décor of one of Christian Dior’s favourite abodes.
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When in Paris, way back when, I would always make a beeline for Dior on Montaigne. Not for the handbags, shoes or frocks — as beautiful as they were. The star attraction for me were those tucked-away rooms where photoshoot-ready dining tables heaved with fine porcelain and floating shelves of crystal and silverware contrasted with richly textured fabrics. I would purchase a memento, wrap it three times and carry the precious cargo in my hand luggage all the way to Sydney. What seemed like a wildly extravagant purchase at the time is now a reminder of bygone days — until we meet again, dear Paris, I shall think of you as I extract the contents of a coffee pod into an exquisite Dior espresso cup.

Detail of 7 Jules Sandeau dinner setting. Photography courtesy of Dior.
Glassware from the recent collection. Photography courtesy of Dior.

While some luxury homeware lines appear to exist for the purpose of attracting buyers with a lower pricepoint, Dior Maison is no cynical ploy; it has a rich history, beginning in 1947, when Christian Dior opened a boutique dedicated to the art of gifting, with a range that included mirrors, letter holders and incense. The couturier once said, “Living in a house which doesn’t reflect who you are is a bit like wearing someone else’s clothes.” Now Dior Maison is coming to Australia. From mid-September, you can buy the colourful new collection by Cordelia de Castellane, the artistic director of Dior Maison, which sees flowers and birds embellish everything from the inside of a carafe to hand-painted placemats. $260; 1300 003 467 or dior.com.

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