On what date was Christian Dior born?

Christian Dior was born on 21 January 1905.

Dior was born in Granville, a coastal town in Normandy, France, to Maurice Dior and Madeleine Martin. His family was prosperous because Maurice operated a successful fertilizer-manufacturing business. Although Dior later became one of fashion’s most influential designers, his early life did not point directly toward couture.

He studied political science at the École des Sciences Politiques in Paris, following his family’s wishes. During the 1920s, however, he became interested in art and began selling fashion illustrations. His artistic abilities eventually led him into professional design work.

Dior’s birth year is sometimes confused with the year he opened his own fashion house, which was 1946. He was therefore 41 when the house was founded and 42 when his first collection became a major international sensation in 1947.