A lady like no other, Princess Diana, a maison like no other, Dior, and a story that was one for the books! The Lady Dior bag was originally born as ‘The Chouchou,’ designed by Gianfranco Ferré for Dior in 1995. The story behind its rechristening is as fascinating as the bag itself. Princess Diana was gifted this ‘unreleased’ fashion statement by France’s then-First Lady, Bernadette Chirac, during the inauguration of a Cézanne exhibition at the Grand Palais in Paris.
Princess Diana, a fashion icon in her own right, quickly recognized the allure of the Lady Dior bag. She was frequently spotted with the handbag, adorned with Dior’s signature Cannage quilting, transforming it into a coveted accessory. The bag became a constant companion on her official visits and public appearances, including the Met Gala and her journey to Argentina.
Her affection for the bag and its subsequent popularity led Dior to rename it the Lady Dior in her honor in 1996. In fact, the princess was so fond of it that she commissioned another in navy blue to match her eyes and “because it suited [her] well.” Her favorite bag became an integral part of the quintessential Princess Diana persona, as she wore it day and night, and once bought several Diors at Harrods in London.
Imagine the thrill of finding a fan in the woman who had the world enamoured by her. The Lady Dior bag, almost 30 years after it first launched, hasn’t faded in popularity or style. It continues to be updated year after year and has countless A-list fans, from Anne Hathaway, Kelly Rutherford, Blake Lively, Dakota Johnson, and Sarah Jessica Parker to Rihanna.
A fashion icon like no other-
The women of the world tried to imitate Diana as much as they possibly could. While her one-of-a-kind persona and stunning looks were almost inimitable, her style was indeed inspirational. One could carry the Lady Dior because the Princess of Wales did, but there are elements that made her uniquely Diana.
In one instance in 1985, Princess Diana stepped out looking resplendent, sporting a breathtaking emerald-and-diamond choker necklace as a headband in Australia. It was revealed by Diana’s former hairdresser Richard Dalton, to People that a sunburn on her neck inspired the change of location, but even more interesting is the fashion hack used to make the moment happen! Dalton shared that her glam team resorted to using knicker elastic to pull off the look.
“Let’s make a headband of it. I asked Evelyn, her dresser, for six inches of knicker elastic, [the kind used by] grannies,” he added with a laugh about how he transformed the dazzling accessory into a headpiece. Can you imagine any other royal agreeing to the idea for the sake of a fashion statement? I guess that’s what made Princess Diana stand out.
