Luxury Brand’s Success: Dior as an Example

Research Article
Open access

Luxury Brand’s Success: Dior as an Example

Jinghan Ma 1*
  • 1 University of Wisconsin-Madison    
  • *corresponding author jma327@wisc.edu
CHR Vol.31
ISSN (Print): 2753-7072
ISSN (Online): 2753-7064
ISBN (Print): 978-1-83558-389-0
ISBN (Online): 978-1-83558-390-6

Abstract

Luxury goods continue to captivate the aspirations of today's youth, with each brand boasting a distinctive history and unparalleled style. Dior, a renowned luxury brand with nearly a century of heritage, stands as an iconic example. While the name Dior is synonymous with fashion, the profound reasons behind its enduring status as a high-end luxury brand remain relatively unexplored. This article delves into the three enigmatic secrets of Dior's success, a source of inspiration for those who aspire to make their mark on the fashion world, and for anyone who appreciates the art and craftsmanship of luxury brands. First, central to Dior's triumph is its lineage of visionary creators. Christian Dior, the brand's illustrious founder, And other creative luminaries like Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferre, and John Galliano's innovations ensured Dior's perpetual allure and global influence. Secondly, Dior's ascendancy owes much to shrewd marketing and branding strategies. And finally,superlative craftsmanship is the cornerstone of Dior's enduring success. The commitment to detail, perfection, ensures Dior's reputation for unparalleled quality. The brand's enduring allure serves as a testament to the enduring values of hard work, innovation, and a genuine passion for the craft. Just as Dior's legacy continues, so can individuals and brands thrive by staying grounded, working diligently, and nurturing a deep love for their art.

Keywords:

Luxury, Dior, Success, high-end brand

Ma,J. (2024). Luxury Brand’s Success: Dior as an Example. Communications in Humanities Research,31,51-55.
Export citation

1.Introduction

Luxury goods attract people from all over the world, luxury goods drive the economy and luxury goods influence the aesthetic trend of the whole world, and Dior, as one of the famous luxury goods brands, has a history of nearly one hundred years. While Dior enjoys considerable recognition within the sphere of fashion enthusiasts, there exists a notable paucity of scholarly investigations that have systematically delved into the underpinnings of its sustained eminence as a preeminent luxury brand. This article undertakes the task of scrutinizing the latent factors contributing to Dior's enduring success, encompassing the notable achievements of its visionary progenitor and the multifaceted contributions of the proficient designers within its purview. Furthermore, it assesses Dior's perspicacious marketing stratagems and its unwavering commitment to the gravitas inherent in its sartorial and product offerings. It is incumbent to elucidate that the insights garnered from this discourse bear significant pedagogical import, meriting scholarly consideration for their potential to elucidate broader paradigms pertinent to luxury brand sustainability and their pertinence in contemporary fashion discourse.

2.Visionary designers

As everybody knows, the success of a brand is only as good as the people behind it. First and foremost is Christian Dior, the founder of Dior, whose innovative designs, attention to detail, and pursuit of elegance laid the foundation for the brand's success. On 12 February 1947, Christian Dior, who trained under legendary designers Robert Piguet and Lucien Lelong, presented an impressive 90-piece collection to magazine editors at his Parisian townhouse on Avenue Montaigne, appropriately titled ‘New Look’. During the war years this image of lush femininity was essentially "put on ice;" it was only after the war that the freeze melted and the rhythm of fashion burst out again in the work of many designers, of whom Dior was only the most famous.[1].

A sense of femininity and luxury was reintroduced. When the New Look first burst onto the scene, it was the exact opposite of the fashion that had come before it, in which shoulders had been squared off, hats had been adorned with flowers and fruit, and shoes had heavy platforms. In contrast, Dior's collection was breathtaking in its pared-back silhouette. The neatly rounded shoulders, curved waist and flared, elegant skirts were fluid yet structured, exquisitely tailored yet flattering and easy to wear[2]. Christian Dior once said, "of course, fashion is a transient, egotistical indulgence, yet in an era as somber as ours, luxury must be defended centimeter by centimeter” [3].

The gorgeous clothes were quickly embraced by many women at the time, and even celebrities such as Ava Gardner, Margot Fonteyn, and Rita Hayworth flocked to Christian Dior. The "New Look" collection was so influential and popular that the brand quickly grew and consolidated its position as one of the most iconic brands in the history of fashion and then went global.

Although Mr. Dior passed away at 52, the brand did not decay. Many talented and creative designers have continued to support Dior. Marc Bohan gave the brand a more modern twist on its original concept. His ready-to-wear and baby clothes brought Dior closer to the public, and more people bought and knew Dior. Gianfranco Ferre took Dior to a new level by creating Dior Haute Couture.

Apart from this, there is another person who has contributed immensely to Dior, John Galliano, the great British designer. His tenure at Dior, defined by his tenure at Dior, defined by its spectacular runway shows and wild fashion moments, created a golden age for the house. When Princess Diana wore one of his first couture gowns, he was instantly noticed by the fashion world and the press. John Gallinao also designed Dior's most iconic saddle bag, with a repeat logo motif that made the design so distinctive that it quickly became a global phenomenon. Furthermore, it is imperative to underscore the exhibitions he curated. There were two shows that attracted me the most, the first one was Dior fall/winter 1997, and the destination was Shanghai, The models were dressed in traditional Chinese style clothes such as qipao, and then John's own design skills and aesthetics were adjusted and improved the clothes, and expressed them in a lascivious way. In an interview about the show, John Galliano said, "That collection was inspired by Chinese pinups, Shanghai calendar girls of the 1930s. discovered these wonderful advertisements for cigarettes, toilet water, and other beauty products featuring beautiful women in tightly fitting qipaos. They were so inspiring. The qipao is already a very sensual garment, but it is important to heighten its sensuality further by cutting it on the bias, which exaggerates the woman's contours." This quote is indicative of John's love of fashion, as he has always been attracted to beautiful things and garments, and he has his own unique creativity and ideas for design. Another show, Dior spring/summer 1998, is the show that introduced me to the brand. The models, with their unique tailored clothes, delicate makeup, and sparkling jewelry, walked down the steps with elegance, mysterious and alluring, beautiful and enchanting. The ambiance transported guests to a lavish soirée reminiscent of the Great Gatsby era. Backless velvet gowns, mink opera coats, lace-fitted dresses, and rose-print bowler hats adorned attendees. Butterfly-shaped confetti cascaded from above, enveloping the scene in a splendid flurry. These timeless designs continue to captivate and inspire, a testament to their enduring appeal.

It is with these talented designers that Dior has remained so popular and successful. From its humble beginnings as the "New Look '' to ready-to-wear to haute couture, Dior has gained global recognition and continues to evolve, leading the way in fashion and having a global influence.

3.Effective strategies

Dior's success is also due to its shrewd as well as effective marketing and branding strategies. Christian Dior has used various marketing strategies to maintain its prominence and appeal in the luxury fashion market. Firstly, Dior has developed its own unique brand image, which is synonymous with elegance, luxury, and femininity, and has positioned itself as a symbol of timeless sophistication and couture craftsmanship. Secondly, Dior has diversified its offerings beyond fashion into accessories, beauty, and fragrances, enabling the brand to cater to a wider range of consumer preferences and lifestyles.

Dior understands the mentality and needs of today's youth, the main consumer group. Their carefully selected ambassadors, who embody their values, are admired and loved by countless young people, as most of them are popular celebrities with strong influence and popularity, representing Dior at various events and increasing media exposure. Take Jisoo, a member of the famous Korean girl group BlackPink, for example: Because Jisoo has been chosen as a brand ambassador, Korean women in their 20s to 30s reportedly favor and choose Dior items. As a result, Dior intends to raise the price by around 5% in order to boost profit [4]. As a result, Dior intends to raise the price by around 5% in order to boost profit. This also shows Dior's unique vision in choosing people. Not only that, but Dior works with influential people from various industries, such as film, art, and music, to create engaging campaigns and collaborations that resonate with its target audience. The association of these individuals with the Dior brand increases its visibility and credibility and also connects the brand with creativity, innovation, and cultural relevance.

Fashion shows and events also play a crucial role in its marketing strategy. These events generated media attention, giving Dior significant exposure and creating a buzz around its designs. Through well-planned, memorable presentations, Dior enhanced its brand image and made a sense of uniqueness for its products.

Additionally, Dior recognizes the importance of digital marketing and social media in reaching a wider audience and engaging with consumers. It remains active on various digital platforms, including its official website and social media channels like Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. Dior utilizes these channels to showcase their latest collections, interesting behind-the-scenes content, fashion films, and collaborations to stay in touch with consumers in real-time. These Dior accounts often collaborate with department stores and online platforms to create exclusive partnerships and flash mob experiences. These collaborations allow Dior to reach new audiences, enter different markets, and create unique brand experiences that enhance the connection between the brand and its customers. Take an example, the revival was achieved not only through a campaign waged by the French fashion-trade organizations but also through the efforts of the American press after the war, which trumpeted Dior's "New Look" [5].

Dior's global penetration has been achieved through various means, including creating unique brand identities, collaborations with appropriate brand ambassadors, offline fashion events, and connecting with people through the Internet. Good marketing strategies have allowed Dior to stay in the media and the spotlight of people worldwide.

4.Excellence handcraft

Last but not least, Dior's superb and exceptional craftsmanship is the key to its ongoing success. The artisans in the atelier at 30 Avenue Montaigne in Paris are highly skilled couturiers and privileged witnesses, carrying on ancestral expertise.

"Ateliers are the decoders of hieroglyphs", Christian Dior wrote in his autobiography. On Dior's website, people can learn about the process by which the artisans make Haute Couture. First, after receiving the drawings from the design studio, the craftsmen start making the mock-ups. At least three assemblies are required to achieve perfect results. Fabrics, embroidery, and other elements needed to make the piece are allocated to the toile following the fittings. The different aspects of a dress or suit are now assembled and arranged on a wooden dummy. Here, the craftsmen use an intricate and traditional hand-stitching technique that involves sewing inside the collar and lapels of the jacket to create all the supports essential to the garment so that it fits well: "You cannot hide bad tailoring. cannot hide bad tailoring. It needs to be meticulous so that it's perfect." This is the philosophy of Dior's craftsmen [6]. For the Dior haute couture spring/summer 2022, 380 artisans worked 280,000 hours to finish the pieces, using embroidery to put the different pieces together. Dior has always been so dedicated to making beautiful garments like this, without exception. Dior has always taken such care to create beautiful clothes without exception.

Take another example of a perfume made by Dior. "It all begins with the raw materials," explains François Demachy. Continuing a long tradition of excellence, the exclusive Dior Perfumer-Creator has made exceptional ingredients the distinctive mark of his creations. Dior places its quality at the heart of each stage of producing its perfumes.

François Demachy, the founder of Dior's perfumers, traveled the world in search of flowers to create his own fragrances and met the best producers worldwide. Raw materials are essential to Dior's fragrances, and the Dior factory has a cellar where nearly 600 ingredients are stored. In the perfume creation laboratory, the ingredients are weighed in small quantities in the desired proportions, then mixed with alcohol, and the perfume is returned to François Demachy. After numerous modifications, the process of finalizing the recipe can take months to years, as each stage is rigorously monitored to ensure the olfactory quality of the product and its consistency. It is also essential to ensure the aesthetics of its bottling and packaging at the end of the process. The look of each bottle is unique; craftsmen master forgotten manual skills, particularly the secret to tying the 'poignard' bow adorning every bottle of Miss Dior perfume extract, the signature of Dior's first fragrance. craftsmen master forgotten manual skills, particularly the secret to tying the 'poignard' bow adorning the bottle, the signature of Dior's excellence. Artisans position the label by hand to ensure it follows the curve of the bottle, representing Dior's excellence. Whether it is clothing or perfume, even cosmetics and jewelry, Dior has maintained its excellent craftsmanship and raw materials. The key to Dior's success is the good quality of its products, which is the reason for its good reputation and the increasing number of returned customers.

5.Conclusion

The reasons behind the success of each brand are worth thinking about. Excellent designers, effective marketing and branding strategies, and superior craftsmanship are the core reasons why Dior has always been a high-end fashion brand. It has not gotten carried away after its initial burst of success but has continued to evolve one step at a time, attracting people in innovative ways. If a successful brand is the same, then people should be the same. Want to succeed is often not the surface look out so simple, hard, down-to-earth, do things with heart is the right way.


References

[1]. Steele, Valerie, and Irving Solero. Fifty Years of Fashion New Look to Now. Yale Univ. Pr, 2009.

[2]. Homer, Karen. Little Book of Dior: The Story of the Iconic Fashion House. Welbeck, 2020.

[3]. Sinclair, Charlotte. “Fortune’s Favor.” Vogue on Christian Dior, Abrams, NY, 2013.

[4]. Tuleconghoa. “Jisoo (Blackpink) Generates How Much Profit for Dior?” KBIZoom, 1 July 2022, kbizoom.com/jisoo-blackpink-generates-how-much- ).

[5]. Merlo, Elisabetta, and Francesca Polese. “Turning Fashion into Business: The Emergence of Milan as an International Fashion Hub.” The Business History Review, vol. 80, no. 3, 2006, pp. 415–47. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/25097225. Accessed 19 Oct. 2023.

[6]. Dior, www.dior.com/couture/nl_nl/a-maison-dior/the-crafts/haute-couture. Accessed 31 Aug. 2023.


Cite this article

Ma,J. (2024). Luxury Brand’s Success: Dior as an Example. Communications in Humanities Research,31,51-55.

Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study will be available from the authors upon reasonable request.

Disclaimer/Publisher's Note

The statements, opinions and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individual author(s) and contributor(s) and not of EWA Publishing and/or the editor(s). EWA Publishing and/or the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to people or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content.

About volume

Volume title: Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Interdisciplinary Humanities and Communication Studies

ISBN:978-1-83558-389-0(Print) / 978-1-83558-390-6(Online)
Editor:Javier Cifuentes-Faura, Enrique Mallen
Conference website: https://www.icihcs.org/
Conference date: 15 November 2023
Series: Communications in Humanities Research
Volume number: Vol.31
ISSN:2753-7064(Print) / 2753-7072(Online)

© 2024 by the author(s). Licensee EWA Publishing, Oxford, UK. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license. Authors who publish this series agree to the following terms:
1. Authors retain copyright and grant the series right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this series.
2. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the series's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this series.
3. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See Open access policy for details).

References

[1]. Steele, Valerie, and Irving Solero. Fifty Years of Fashion New Look to Now. Yale Univ. Pr, 2009.

[2]. Homer, Karen. Little Book of Dior: The Story of the Iconic Fashion House. Welbeck, 2020.

[3]. Sinclair, Charlotte. “Fortune’s Favor.” Vogue on Christian Dior, Abrams, NY, 2013.

[4]. Tuleconghoa. “Jisoo (Blackpink) Generates How Much Profit for Dior?” KBIZoom, 1 July 2022, kbizoom.com/jisoo-blackpink-generates-how-much- ).

[5]. Merlo, Elisabetta, and Francesca Polese. “Turning Fashion into Business: The Emergence of Milan as an International Fashion Hub.” The Business History Review, vol. 80, no. 3, 2006, pp. 415–47. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/25097225. Accessed 19 Oct. 2023.

[6]. Dior, www.dior.com/couture/nl_nl/a-maison-dior/the-crafts/haute-couture. Accessed 31 Aug. 2023.