© David Wiseman / Mark Peckmezian for Dior
Dior has just announced their launch of the second edition “Dior Lady Art”, a collaboration between the French maison and contemporary artists who reinterpret the iconic Lady Dior Bag by transforming colors, fabrics and decoration.
After the success of the previous edition in 2016, which featured both British and American artists, this year Dior called upon ten international masters to reinvent the iconic handbag. For the second edition, artists were given a complete carte blanche, allowing them to show their vision of the bag and transpose their creativity into the medium of leatherwork.
© David Wiseman / Mark Peckmezian for Dior
Let’s take a closer look at the handbag, it’s history and the key elements that make the Dior bag oh so coveted all around the globe.
The Lady Art Bag was born in Dior’s ateliers circa 1995, and first came to prominence when Princess Diana acquired this accessory during a visit to Paris. The Dior bag is instantly recognizable by the metal charms which spell out the name of the French maison and by the intricate leather stitching inspired by the seats of the Napoleon III chairs, on which Christian Dior seated his guests at his fashion shows.
© Lee Bul / Mark Peckmezian for Dior
The ten artists of different cultures, background and fame who were invited to revisit the Dior Lady Art Bag included: Lee Bul, John Giorno, Hong Hao, Jack Pierson, Friedrich Kunath, Namsa Leuba, Betty Mariani, Jamilla Okubo, Spencer Sweeney and David Wiseman.
Below are some insights and information on the backgrounds of a few of the artists who crafted the designs of Dior Lady Art series 2.
DAVID WISEMAN
David Wiseman was inspired by nature for his piece, as he uses Dior gray for the face of the bag. The accessory is depictive of stylized vines & flowers as well as gold for the charms; additionally featuring porcelain lily of the valley.
HONG HAO
Hong Hao is famous for his scans of everyday objects, from buttons to CDs, where he integrates them to create a complex yet sophisticated print. On the Lady Bag, he focuses on buttons, jewels and gems fastened on black leather.
LEE BUL
Lee Bul came up with an industrial-style handbag, made of tiny Plexiglas mirrors that together creates a big shattered mirror. The final product is a futuristic bag, which still evokes femininity along with luxury.
JAMILLA OKUBO
The Lady Bag reinterpreted by Jamilla Okubo is a mix between Paris and Kenya. She brilliantly combines Dior’s quilting techniques with Kenyan bead work (using Parisian crystal beads), thereby evoking a dialog between Kenyan culture and Parisian heritage.
