Dior’s Lady Dior handbag was renamed in 1996 in honor of Princess Diana.
The bag was originally called the Chouchou when it was introduced. It received the name Lady Dior after Princess Diana carried it during a 1995 visit to Paris, where she was photographed with the design. The association with her public appearances helped turn the handbag into one of Dior’s most recognizable accessories.
Lady Dior is known for its structured, boxy shape, rounded handles, quilted cannage pattern, and dangling letter charms spelling D-I-O-R. Those charms and the architectural silhouette distinguish it from softer Dior styles such as the Saddle bag.
The name change is sometimes confused with the bag’s original launch. The handbag existed before it became Lady Dior; the 1996 renaming commemorated Princess Diana’s connection with the design rather than marking its initial creation.