Who succeeded Christian Dior as artistic director of the House of Dior after his death in 1957?

Yves Saint Laurent succeeded Christian Dior as artistic director of the House of Dior after Dior’s death in 1957.

Saint Laurent was only 21 when he took over the house, making him one of the youngest major couture designers in Paris. His first collection for Dior, the 1958 Trapeze line, was highly successful and established his own distinctive direction.

Saint Laurent left Dior in 1960 after being conscripted into the French Army. He was replaced by Marc Bohan, who led the house for nearly three decades. This succession is sometimes confused with Saint Laurent’s later role as founder of his own fashion house, established with Pierre Bergé in 1961.

Dior’s later artistic directors included Gianfranco Ferré, John Galliano, Raf Simons, Maria Grazia Chiuri, and Jonathan Anderson. Saint Laurent’s brief tenure remains especially notable because it began immediately after Dior’s death and preceded his independent career.