3. DIOR
Christian Dior SE , commonly known as Dior, is a European luxury
goods company controlled and chaired by French businessman Bernard, who
also heads LVMH – the world's largest luxury group. Dior itself holds 42.36%
shares of and 59.01% voting rights within LVMH.
Founded in 1946 by the eponymous designer Christian Dior, today the
company designs and retails ready-to-wear, leather goods, fashion
accessories, footwear, jewelry, timepieces, fragrance, make-up, and skincare
products while also maintaining its tradition as a creator of
recognized haute-couture (under the Christian Dior Couture division). While
the Christian Dior label remains largely for women's offerings, the company
also operates the Dior Homme division for men and the baby Dior label for
children’s wear. Products are sold throughout its portfolio of retail stores
worldwide, as well as through its online store via dior.com.
4. Type Societas Europaea
Traded as Euronext: CDI
Industry Retailing
Founded 16 December 1946
Founder Christian Dior
Headquarters 30 Avenue Montaigne,
Paris, France
Number of locations 210
Area served Worldwide
Key people Bernard Arnault(Chairman)
Sidney Toledano (CEO)
Raf Simons (Creative Director)
Kris Van Assche (Creative
Director, Dior Homme)
Victoire de
Castellane(Designer, Dior Fine
Jewelry)
Products Apparel and footwear
Department store
Other specialty
Revenue €24.62 billion] (2011)
Operating income €5.323 billion
Profit €1.279 billion(2011)
Total assets €51.20 billion(2011)
Total equity €24.94 billion(2011)
Number of employees 84,981(2011)
Divisions Christian Dior Parfums
Christian Dior Cosmetics
Dior Homme
Subsidiaries Christian Dior Couture
Financière Jean Goujon
(LVMH 42.36%)
Website www.dior.com
5. HISTORY
• Founding
The House of Dior was established on 16 December 1946, in "a private
house"at 30 Avenue Montaigne Paris B. However, the current Dior corporation
celebrates "1947“ as the opening year.Dior was financially backed by wealthy
businessman Marcel Boussac.The new couture house became a part of "a
vertically integrated textile business" already operated by Boussac. Its capital
was at FFr 6 million and workforce at 80 employees.The company was really a
vanity project for Boussac and was a "majorly owned affiliate of Boussac Saint-
Freres S.A. Nevertheless, Monsieur Dior was allowed a then-unusual great part
in his namesake label (legal leadership, a non-controlling stake in the firm, and
one-third of pretax profits) despite Boussac's reputation as a "control freak".
Monsieur Dior's creativity also negotiated him a pleasant salary.
6. The "New Look"
• On 12 February 1947, Dior launched his first fashion collection for Spring–Summer 1947.
The show of "90 models of his first collection on six mannequins" was presented in the
salons of the company's headquarters at 30 Avenue Montaigne.Originally, the two lines
were named "Corolle" and "Huit".However, the new collection went down in fashion
history as the "New Look" after the editor-in-chief of Harper's Bazaar Carmel
Snow exclaimed, "It's such a New Look!"The silhouette was characterised by a small,
nipped-in waist and a full skirt falling below mid-calf length, which emphasised the bust
and hips, as epitomized by the 'Bar' suit from the first collection. At a time of post-war
fabric restrictions, Dior used up to twenty yards of extravagant fabrics for his creations,
favoring the luxury textiles of Robert Perrier The New Look became extremely popular,
its full-skirted silhouette influencing other fashion designers well into the 1950s, and Dior
gained a number of prominent clients from Hollywood, the United States, and the
European aristocracy. As a result, Paris, which had fallen from its position as the capital
of the fashion world after WWII, regained its preeminence. The New Look was welcomed
in western Europe as a refreshing antidote to the austerity of wartime and de-feminizing
uniforms, and was embraced by stylish women such as Princess Margaret in the
UK.According to Harold Koda,The Costume Institute curator in charge, Christian Dior
credited Charles James with inspiring The New Look.
7. Dior Marketing Strategy
• It operates through three companies: Christian Dior Couture (100%
owned),Financiere Jean Goujon (100% owned) & and LVMH (42.5%owned).
• Christian Dior enjoys strong brand equity. Through its subsidiary LVMH, it
has access to one of the strongest luxury brand portfolio. LVMH possesses
a portfolio of over 60 prestigious brands including Louis Vuitton, Christian
Dior, TAG Heuer, Fendi, Moet & Chandon, Sephora which gives it a
competitive advantage.
8. Symbol of Absolute Perfection:
• Christian Dior, is going all out to reach its niche target market.
• The company's focus is clearly on popularizing the segment (Fragrance,
make up and Skin Care).
• Dior has built its fame on Women’s Fashions.
• Its target audience is anyone who has an extra ordinarily mixture of
romanticism, feminism and modernity.
9. Dior’s Product Width
• Fragrances
• PERFUMES WOMAN
• J'adore
• Miss Dior
• Poison
• Les Escales de Dior
• Dior Addict
• Dune
• Dolce Vita
• Les Créations de Monsieur Dior
17. Ownership and shareholdings
At the end of 2010, the only declared major shareholder in Christian Dior
S.A. was Groupe Arnault SAS, the family holding company of Bernard Arnault. The
group's control amounted to 69.96% of Dior's stock and 82.86% of its voting
rights.The remaining shares are considered free float.
Christian Dior S.A. held 42.36% of the shares of LVMH and 59.01% of its voting
rights at the end of 2010. Arnault held an additional 5.28% of shares and 4.65% of
votes directly
Creative directors
•Christian Dior 1946–1957
•Yves Saint Laurent 1957–1960
•Marc Bohan 1960–1989
•Gianfranco Ferré 1989–1997
•John Galliano 1997–2011
•Bill Gaytten 2011–2012
•Raf Simons 2012–2015
18. Retail locations
The company operates a total of 210 locations
as of September 2010:
•Asia: 109
•Africa: 1 (Casablanca, Morocco)
•Caribbean: 1 (San Juan, Puerto Rico)
•Europe: 45
•Middle East: 8
•North America (Canada, Mexico, and the
United States): 48
•Oceania: 6
•South America: 2 (Brazil)
