I’m so thrilled to share this gorgeous book with you all! I’m teaming up with the publisher today, and hosting a give-away too.
I’ll admit, as a little girl growing up in Europe, I was mesmerized by my aunts and grandmother, some of whom wore haute couture.
Always fashionable, my god-mother {my mother’s sister} had a fashion connection, as her husband worked in “the trade” and it was she who sent me a Christian Dior nightgown and robe one year for my birthday when I was 14.
It is no understatement to say that I felt impossibly grown-up and sophisticated! {ha! seriously far from the truth.}
Fashion has always intrigued me, and I was so honored to be asked to preview this glorious book DIOR AND HIS DECORATORS: Victor Grandpierre, Georges Geffroy, and the New Look written by Maureen Footer, who is an expert in French decorative arts and an acclaimed design historian.
Eloquently written and beautifully illustrated, the book recounts the evolution of Dior’s aesthetic as a fashion revolutionary and an aficionado of interior design via his personal residences, his couture house, and the Dior brand.
The book is not only visual eye candy for us fashionistas, it illustrates how Christian Dior and his talented decorators transformed war-torn Postwar France, and then the world.
Christian Dior’s luxurious New Look, launched in 1947, captivated a war-weary world with exactly the glamour, beauty and sense of romance it was hungry for.
Drawing from the same inspiration as Dior, interior designers in Paris mixed the refined classic traditions of the past with a modern sense of elegance to create a New Look in interiors.
Christian Dior
Christian Dior is still recognized today as an iconic designer and ultimate luxury fashion brand. {Always at the forefront of all that is the height of fashion, the Paris Fashion Week show of Dior this week was amazing!}
Just like his fashion designs, his interiors were luxurious and breath-taking. Dior hired his friends fashion photographer Victor Grandpierre and silent film set designer Georges Geffroy to create chic, worldly interiors for all his residences.
The book also shows the work of both Grandpierre and Geffroy for other design clients.
Just as Dior defined New Look fashion, his Paris townhouse epitomized New Look decoration, it was a succès fou {translates into crazy success.}
Victor Grandpierre also designed Dior’s first couture salon, with its elegant restrained looks, and the face of the Dior brand, the logo and packaging, which is still used today.
Maureen Footer has captured the story of DIOR & HIS DECORATORS with such beautiful detail and insightful commentary. The images and history of Christian Dior’s career and his two decorator friends are wonderfully intertwined. It’s also the story of a time in France’s history, and the friendship of the three men.
I love decorating books, what makes this one a favorite is that it has much more…there is so much history and detail here, it’s so well researched.
It is a book to enjoy for the stunning photos of fashion and interiors, of course, but it is also a book that is a GREAT READ.
It’s a reminder that fashion and interiors can be beautiful, tell a personal story and be timeless.
Maureen Footer’s stylish and chic New York City Apartment was featured in the current VERANDA magazine. It’s every bit as gorgeous as you would expect it to be!
Photo credit of the ever chic author: Maureen’s Instagram
When asked, “What would be Grandpierre’s and Geffroy’s five take-away design lessons for the current generation of interior designers?” the author gives us all some great advice:
- Make independent design choices. Inform your eye by looking, but never copying. Striking originality, be it in Dior’s New Look, Geffroy’s or Grandpierre’s posh interiors, stems from being true to a personal point of view.
- Be curious about the world around you. Without curiosity design can’t move forward, and it certainly can’t capture its time. Learn from the past, incorporate the present. Interiors will be rich, resonate, and connect the occupant to a larger spectrum.
- Remember that a home should be a haven. A living space should welcome and embrace its owner and nurture the soul. Upholstered walls create soft spaces; fabrics that feel good are welcoming; color creates mood. Reach for quality whenever you can.
- Incorporate antiques. Not only are antiques beautiful, they connect us to our past and remind us of who we are. They are like family photos on our desktop.
- For a little zip, reach for tiger silk velvet and a glass of Champagne!
AND NOW FOR THE GENEROUS GIVE AWAY.
I’m thrilled to let you know that the publisher is giving away a copy of Maureen’s book to one of my fortunate readers!
All you have to do is leave a comment on any post here on my FGH blog. The more you comment, the better your chance will be of winning, as each comment counts as an entry.
For extra credit, follow me on Instagram HERE > {you do, already, don’t you?!}
Since we are in Europe on our antiques buying trip, I will choose a winner randomly when we return. The winner will be announced on October 10th, and the publisher will mail that lucky one a book!
So easy. Love it!
You can ORDER THE BOOK HERE
And you will want to follow MAUREEN FOOTER on instagram HERE
I am so grateful that the publisher chose FrenchGardenHouse to review this gorgeous book, and that one of you, dearest readers, will be winning a copy too!
I received my advance copy, and can’t wait to return from Europe to read it from cover to cover.
Ps. for my dear clients…FrenchGardenHouse is open, and your orders from today forward will commence shipping after Oct. 8th. Merci!
All images for this review were provided by and are courtesy of Vendome Press.
à bientôt
Shop for the best in French Antiques, furniture with the patina of age, vintage accessories to delight you and your family & friends, and French Country utilitarian pieces. Treasures that make your home fresh, beautiful, inspirational and uniquely yours. Visit our shop FrenchGardenHouse.com
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Wow, Lidy! What a beautiful book! Thank you for presenting it in such an inspiring way. You always broaden my horizons by sharing your knowledge and love for European antiques, decorative items, and culture, and this blog entry is beautifully written with such gorgeous photographs. Safe travels to you. Janet
Oh, now I realise that Maureen’s “Dior and His Decorators” is PRECISELY what I have been missing from my life! Thank you Lidy for shedding light on my deficiency – I can’t wait for my dose of timeless style and inspiration. And Dior genius. I really can’t wait!
Jeanne X
Have never worn such beautiful clothes but mother sewed Vogue patterns for us and we felt like we were stepping out in high cotton. She also wore clothes she sewed from the Vogue patterns. She was tall and could wear the clothes well. When she passed she wore the final dress she had made. Fashion for her and her two girls started with those patterns and taught us to look for clothes well made.
Alice, that is really such a special thing, isn’t it, to have a Mom who sewed? My Mom was a single Mom, and she made all our clothes when I was growing up, too!
What an incredible book Lidy!! Please enter me in your fabulous giveaway. Haute Couture is one of my favorite memories of my darling creative classy and favorite aunt. Dior is the epitome of fashion & decor. This book has to be like opening up a dream of the greatest glimpse of his world.
Blessings, Edie Marie
Incredible book! Hope I win a copy!
Fabulous Dior!!! And to get to see more of his interiors would be a joy…
Thank you for sharing some of the beautiful photos from the book. I truly can not wait to get my hands on a copy to add to my collection of beautiful books on fashion and beauty.
What a beautiful book, Lidy! Thanks so much for the review! I hope that you are having a wonderful trip!!!
What a treat to receive this book . Will order for Christmas if not ??
Thank you for opening my eyes and bringing my attention to a new and beautiful book! Would love to be entered in your giveaway. Your blog and instagram posts showing your lovely taste in home collections and decor inspire me regularly! Thank you.
I would absolutely love to receive this book – it looks fabulous! Dior has always been one of my top favorites. (I also followed Maureen Footer on IG…)
It looks like a fabulous book! Thanks for sharing, Lidy!
What a beautiful book with such great history!! Great photos! I would enjoy this book so much 🙂
Oh my goodness! What a beautiful treasure you are sharing with us today. I am old enough to know about Christian Dior; I used to open my Mother’s closet and touch the soft fabrics of two Dior’s she wore on special occasions. Her dressing room was mirrored and I’d sit in the corner and watch as she checked herself out before leaving with my Dad to a dinner party.
Thank you!!
Teresa
Beautiful Book! Thanks for the offer.
I really NEED this book for my collection of design
books. This is a must for my coffee table for me to
enjoy every.single.day!
That looks like a marvelous book! Thank you for the chance to win a copy. I follow you on Instagram and facebook xo.
What a beautiful book to share with us Lidy! Thanks!
Oh. My. Gosh! The photos you show take my breath away! How exquisite!
Your blog is just so beautiful. I love reading it and I love your style to no end!
What a stunning book. Thank you for the opportunity to win.
Following you on Instagram now too. =)
Such a beautiful book. I would love to win a copy. I was a small girl during the 50’s and I remember my mother looking at all the fashion magazines. She was not able to afford Dior’s so she would purchase patterns from Vogue’s designer collection and make the dresses for herself. She loved fashion especially French designers.
Looks a wonderful book, very chic and inspirational. Absolutely love French design and would love the chance to win this book. Thanks for sharing. I follow you on Instagram, hence bringing me to your blog 🙂
Thanks so much Emma! It’s so nice to see you over “on this side” too!
How beautiful are those pictures. I would wear any of those gowns. Style Style style.
Hello, Lidy,
All I can say is WOWWWWWWWWWW, LOVED ALL THE PHOTO’S BUT THE LADIES AND THE GOWN’S ARE TO DIE FOR, ALWAY’S LOVED FRENCH THING’S And I have some French in my DNA and loved when in France, but this is a lovely book and I enjoy that you alway’s share this type of thing’s with all of us and all the wonderful decorating that you do, such a wonderful way to look at everything. Have a lot of French thing’s but never enough so Lidy thank you for sharing this and all that you do~Happy Fall~~~Jean~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Inimitable French style means knowing yourself, and having the discipline to be selective in your choices.
No mish mash! And you capture that sensibility so well on your blog and in your shop inventory.
Bien fait!
This looks like a fabulous book.
I would love to own it.
Wow what inspiration and beauty for a world that today is in such upheaval! Thanks for this opportunity, happy shopping! Carmen
Oh, Lidy! I always enjoy your blog and IG, but this one was just breathtakingly beautiful! DIOR! Such stunning pictures of timeless beauty!
You get points, and fabulous review of Dior and his Decorations. This book will be perfect as holiday gifts this season!!!
Beautiful, elegant and stunning gowns and interiors…so lovely to drift in the dream of these images!
This looks like one gorgeous book! Plus, the subject matter promises to be just as interesting as the pictures!
Simply stunning! Seeing the gorgeous dress in that equally fabulous room was a take my breath away moment. I can’t wait to recrive the book and pour through it’s pages to be visually and emotionally inspired.
Sigh…..so elegant .
Simply Stunning! It would be a pleasure to have this book and devour it page by page!
Oh Yes I want a chance to win that book. I love the Dior brand and products. How wonderful would it be to wear a Dior gown?
This book looks stunning! I would love to own a copy-thank you for featuring it!
What an amazingly beautiful book!
WOW What a beautiful book. I love this post and would love to own it ? please enter me into the drawing.
Thanks, Denise
Thank you so much for this great opportunity, Lidy! This is so generous from you! Kisses from Italy
Where do I start?!?! I love the light blue sitting room with the gold/ champagne colored seating.
The epitome of style and grace!….Amazing, amazing images from the book!…The room with the powder blue walls/woodwork with that reflection in the mirror and the room itself stopped me in my tracks! Great giveaway of an truly exquisite book!