When it comes to iconic bag designs, the ‘Lady Dior’ needs little introduction. Popularised by the most stylish of royal connections, the style was gifted to Princess Diana in 1995 by the First Lady of France, Bernadette Chirac, and its graphic Cannage quilting and ‘D' ‘I' ‘O' ‘R' top-handle charms have become synonymous with a timeless elegance.
Dior has continued to pique our interest in the ‘Lady Dior’ with its innovative reinterpretations, thanks to the Dior Lady Art project and its resulting artist-designed handbags. The project has seen a host of renowned international artists bring their own spin to the bag, from Judy Chicago and her iridescent spiral painting-inspired creation, to the oil-painted floral prints of Marc Quinn, ensuring that your accessory is not just a wardrobe classic, it is also a collector’s item.
Now, Dior has announced the sixth iteration of its Dior Lady Art initiative, which sees 12 global artists, based from Tokyo to Shanghai, Dubai to Dublin, reinterpret the bag using a multidisciplinary range of techniques, from photography to collage to beadwork. On the artistic roster for Dior Lady Art #6 are: Zhang Huan, Genieve Figgis, Gisela Colon, Lina Iris Viktor, Johan Creten, Gigisue, Manal AlDowayan, Antonin Hako, Leonhard Hurzlmeier, Yukimasa Ida, Daisuke Ohba and Li Songsong.
Lady Dior by Antonin Hako: a bag in flight
Artist Antonin Hako in his studio with his 3D-printed interpretation of the ‘Lady Dior’ bag
We are particularly struck by the design of multidisciplinary French artist Antonin Hako, whose bold and imaginative creations have previously swathed flags and hot air balloons. Inspired by the concept of a bag in flight – drawing on Hako's longtime interest in perpetual motion – the artist has 3D-printed a design formed from layers of transparent and coloured resin. In his interpretation, the ‘Lady Dior’ takes on an undulating, draped form, as if carved from a block of glass.
Antonin Hako in his studio
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