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What Becomes an ICON The Charm and History of Dior Maison The history of Dior Maison is intertwined with the beginning of the House of Dior established in 1946 at 30 Avenue Montaigne. One year later, Colifichets was introduced to the maison, a boutique on the ground floor enveloped in toile de Jouy that offered accessories and gifts for the home. In his memoirs, Christian Dior wrote, "To an impeccably decorated interior, I will always prefer one that's more sensitive and spirited, which has been built up little by little out of the whims and fancies of the inhabitant." The Dior Maison collection has expanded with a wide range of wares — plates, place mats, tablecloths, glasses, candles, notebooks, coin trays, platters, and more — in homage to two of Christian Dior's great passions: the art of living and entertaining à la française. Many of the most beloved designs are due to Cordelia de Castellane, Dior Maison and Dior Baby artistic director for the past eight years. For de Castellane, a glamorous creativity is a family inheritance. She was born in Paris in 1981 to a Greek interior designer mother and a Franco-Spanish father; famed architect Emilio Terry is a great- grand-uncle; her great-uncle Boni de Castellane was a Belle Époque tastemaker; and her cousin is Victoire de Castellane, Dior's high jewelry artistic director for 25 years. As a teenager, she spent her spare moments at the Chanel ateliers, observing her uncle, Gilles Dufour, Karl Lagerfeld's right-hand man. She later interned for Emanuel Ungaro, who trained her in the art of color. She continued at Ungaro, under Giambattista Valli, for many years until she opted to take time off for family (she's the mother of four children). Naturally, her creativity continued to flow, and she started a line of embroidered children's wear which led to her appointment as creative director of Baby Dior in 2012. In 2017, she was given the same appointment at Dior Maison. Today, de Castellane continuously pays homage to Dior's ode to the art de vivre with a contemporary touch, created with carefully chosen fine materials. The Monsieur Dior collection of tableware she designed revisits the emblematic striped Noir et Blanc collection Dior himself designed with Jean-Pierre Frère in 1955 — it was graphic, minimalist, and stylish. By Anne Lee Phillips Portrait Valentin Le Cron. Photography François Coquerel. Monsieur Dior teacup and saucer 44