Which fashion icon founded the House of Dior in Paris in 1946?

Christian Dior founded the House of Dior in Paris in 1946.

Dior established his couture house at 30 Avenue Montaigne with financial backing from textile manufacturer Marcel Boussac. His first collection was presented in February 1947 and quickly attracted international attention for its sculpted waistlines, rounded shoulders, and full skirts.

The phrase “New Look” was associated with this debut, although Dior himself preferred to describe the collection using names such as “Corolle.” The collection helped restore Paris’s reputation as the center of haute couture after the restrictions of the Second World War.

Dior died in 1957, but the fashion house continued under several important designers, including Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferré, and John Galliano. The company’s founding date is sometimes confused with the year of Dior’s first collection: the house began in 1946, while the famous debut took place in 1947.