Christian Dior opened his couture house at 30 Avenue Montaigne in 1946.
The Paris premises became the permanent home of the House of Dior and remain one of the most recognizable addresses in fashion. Dior established the maison with financial backing from textile magnate Marcel Boussac after years of working as an assistant and freelance designer.
The house opened in December 1946, while Dior’s first collection was shown the following year, in February 1947. That timing explains why sources sometimes blur the founding date and the debut-collection date.
Thirty Avenue Montaigne later became much more than a couture salon. It housed Dior’s ateliers, offices, and salons, and its address became closely identified with the brand’s Parisian identity.