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Bar Jacket The Bar jacket — with its architectural cut, cinched waist, soft shoulders, and contours that emphasize the shape of the hips — launched Dior to success in 1947. Dior dreamed up the voluptuous exaltation of feminine curves at the Plaza Athénée, the Paris palace hotel where he took lunch or spent early evenings, with glamorous friends such as Marlène Dietrich, whose curvy silhouette stood out to him among the Art Deco setting. An attitude in its own right, the Bar jacket was a cocktail suit for woman who dared to have an afternoon drink with a female friend, bucking social convention, and who was aware of her powers of seduction. In its first season, the design was reproduced 21 times, making its success immediate. The symbol of the New Look and the quintessence of Dior tailoring, created both in single- and double-breasted versions, the Bar jacket is a reflection of Dior's ultra-modern visionary style that has transcended generations. J'Adior The J'Adior (a contraction of "J'adore Dior") slingback became an instant icon at its reveal in Dior designer Maria Grazia Chiuri's Spring 2017 ready-to-wear show. It embraced two of the house emblems: an archival New Style heel from 1962 by Roger Vivier and the feminine trimming of a bow, with a classic, softly pointed toe. A new classic, the shoe evokes the Parisian elegance of the 1960s and has appeared in 300 models since its launch seven years ago. Toile de Jouy The year after the launch of the couture house, Dior cleverly opened a tiny boutique on the ground floor dubbed Colifichets (French for ornaments), that initially carried small fantasy objects and ladies' accessories. At the advice of his friend, painter Christian Bérard, the portico was fully decorated in Toile de Jouy. The print soon became a symbol of exceptional What Becomes an ICON A New Look at Dior's Iconic In 1947, Christian Dior debuted the New Look, his visionary, u l t r a - f e m i n i n e , and modern way of seeing women, resulting in a global transformation of the sartorial silhouette. Dior had planned to launch a quiet couture house, but thanks to his innovative designs combined with his professional prowess, he redefined luxury and created a resplendent international institution with Christian Dior Symbols of Fashion Couture. He was so masterful in his first decade at creating an artistic vision, the Dior technique, and the hiring and promoting of the right talent, that at his untimely death in 1957, he had "created a genuine 'school' of style and taste," as managing director Jacques Rouët proclaimed, that has enabled his vision to live on for nearly eight decades. Herewith, we parse a few of the absolute iconic pieces that have come to signify the house of Dior. By Anne Lee Phillips Dior Bar Jacket, the original look from 1947 © ASSOCIATION WILLY MAYWALD/ADAGP, PARIS, 2024 50