The Lady Dior. She's the expression of elegance and sophistication. A handbag that has been around for already 30 years and has become a true icon. Once, the favorite bag of Princess Diana, she now has been reinterpreted in every conceivable way. Yet, she remains one of the Maison's most beloved styles, underlining the simple beauty of timeless elegance.

Originally the handbag was designed in 1994 by Gianfranco Ferré, Creative Director at Christian Dior from 1989 to 1997, and reflects many detailed considerations. Firstly, the stitching, called "cannage", is a reference to the cane chairs which were used in the Maison's first fashion show in 1947. Moreover, the Dior charm is a tribute to Christian Dior himself, who always was a lover of charms and symbols. Finally, the boxy silhouette and the rounded top handles add to the unmistakable design. Although, the classic and timeless design of the bag hasn't changed in the past 30 years, there is one major difference between the bag which is now known as the Lady Dior and the first examples - the name. Originally called Chouchou - French for 'favorite' -, it was only a matter of time before the bag was renamed after it became Diana Frances Spencer's go-to fashion piece.

In September 1995, during the Cézanne art exhibition at the Grand Palais in Paris, Princess Diana received the Chouchou bag as a gift from Bernadette Chirac, the First Lady of France. From then on, the bag became a statement piece for Diana who carried different versions of it on various outings. In November 1995, an iconic photograph was taken of her carrying the bag as she disembarked from a plane in Buenos Aires during an official visit to Argentina, and the bag became known around the world. The Princess of Wales loved the distinctive design so much that she even requested a navy blue version to match her eye color. For the 1966 Met Gala, the Maison Dior also created a blue satin version of the bag especially for Diana that harmonized perfectly with her dress. Finally, the bag was renamed Lady Dior in honor of Princess Diana.

Now, the Lady Dior is available in a wide range of sizes, colors, materials and designs - from a silver metallic calfskin version, to a medium natural rattan version with a blue Dior jacquard oblique and a denim version embroidered with natural raffia butterflies. There's something for everyone with these versatile designs. The bag has also been transformed into the Lady D-Joy bag, the horizontal version of the Lady Dior.
The House of Dior also gives international artists the opportunity to reinterpret the famous design in their own way. The results of the so-called Lady Dior Art Project, which has been further developed by Maria Grazia Chiuri since she joined Dior as its new creative director in 2016, are true works of art and collector's items.

In addition, in 2021, the Maison curated the exhibition Lady Dior As Seen By, which celebrated the iconic handbag through the lens of various artists. As part of this initiative, designers, photographers and painters from around the world interpreted the famous handbag in their own style, creating photographs and objects that set no limits on creativity. The exhibition took place in several cities including Shanghai, where it started, Tokyo, São Paulo, Milan, Berlin and many more. What made it special was that in each city, local artists joined in and added their interpretation of the Lady Dior bag.

Today, 30 years later, we can still say that the Lady Dior is a true statement piece which can be worn from day to night. The Maison's constant reinterpretation of the handbag also demonstrates that elegance lies in timeless design and the art of subtle refinement.