La Galerie Dior: The Louvre of Fashion

For my entire life, I’ve dreamed of going to Paris. Growing up watching The Devil Wears Prada, Gossip Girl, and Sex and the City, the fashion and glamor of Paris have always resonated with me. When I finally had the opportunity to visit Paris last month, I immediately began researching what the best fashion hot spots were in the city. La Galerie Dior was on every list I could find online and sound like the ultimate fashion lovers’ dream.

Located on Rue François 1er in the 8th arrondissement, La Dior Galerie tells the life story of Christian Dior: his upbringing, his first designs, his impact on the fashion landscape of his time, his successors, and his legacy. It is filled to the brim with gowns, perfumes, early sketches, and personal photographs, each with a rich and unique background.

Upon entrance, one finds themselves at a staircase that appears never to end when looking up from the ground floor. As you ascend, you are wrapped by glass walls, and behind them are countless iconic Dior designs arranged by color. The exhibits start on the top floor, and guests work their way down. An overview of Monsieur Dior’s early life is a must-see in order to truly appreciate all else that is to come in the rest of the museum. Born in Normandy and raised in Paris, Dior always loved art and design but didn’t get to begin designing and profiting until after World War II, when he was an officer in the French army.

As guests move through the gallery, they can see examples of his best work, designs that were made special for his runway shows in the House of Dior, early prototypes of his perfume bottles, and glittering, flowing, and silky gowns worn only by the biggest celebrities in the world such as Princess Diana, Anya Taylor-Joy, Natalie Portman, etc.

Dior’s showroom, where models walk along the runway to display his gorgeous gowns to luxury customers and stylists, is on full display, with more examples of his work. Perhaps the most interesting part of the museum is a small room with a glass floor that looks down into a wood-paneled room full of shelves, dressing tables, and, of course, racks of clothes. Since the museum used to be the original House of Dior, the dressing room that models used to prepare for his shows is still intact and can be viewed from above through this glass floor.

Christian Dior was one of the most impactful designers of his time, and his legacy has had one of the most lasting effects on fashion today. His gallery is gorgeous and has something for anyone who has the slightest interest in fashion, film, and history. Be sure to check out this magnificent gallery whenever you are in Paris!