LVMH Journées Particulières

I was fortunate enough in 2016 to snag an appointment to visit the Dior flagship for a unique open house for the brand. The Journées Particulières, as it is known, is an initiative by the mega-corp Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessey to encourage visitors to their many holdings, including their subsidiary, Dior. To get in on the event was no small feat. The appointment calendar is rolled out in stages, and the slots are gone in the blink of an eye. As I live in western Canada, I had to get up at 4 am to get a spot, and I had to be very prepared with the exact page open with the time I wanted all sorted out in advance. I had tabs open on all my devices and got the first spot for the first day at the Dior flagship store on Avenue Montaigne.

Christian Dior first imagined opening his haute couture atelier in 1947 when he was offered the backing of a large textile manufacturer. Legend tells us that he was exiting a taxi on Avenue Montaigne and noticed a small brass star on the ground in front of number 30, which he took as a good omen for his new venture as the Maison Dior. He designed the Maison in the style of his parent’s generation, a throwback to the elegance of the Belle Epoque; Dior was highly nostalgic, which was apparent in his designs for his first collection in 1947. It was declared “The New Look” by journalist Carmel Snow but was also a reflection of Dior’s nostalgia for ultra-feminine dressing using yards of fabric not seen since before the war (thanks to his new backer).

Upon approaching the house, we were greeted with a gift of a small perfume and escorted inside past a display of the Bar suit (the epitome of the new look) up the famous ornate staircase of the maison. Since the presentation was all in French, I missed some of the finer points, but the demonstrations that were set up were very informative. We began with a demo of the tailoring of an haute couture suit, showing how much work is hidden inside the garment to create that sharpness only seen in haute couture. Next was a maroquinier (leather craftsman) making a “Lady” bag by hand, glueing and fitting together the leather pieces before stitched into place. The pattern makers were lively and fun, and being the first group of the three-day event spent a lot of time explaining the processes behind the pattern and how the garment is cut. The plieuse (female pleater) showed how they pieced together a black lace gown after pleating the fabric by sandwiching it between two accordion-folded cardboard molds. My favourite was the embroidery demonstration with the brodeuse (embroidery craftswoman), working over a piece of fabric stretched on a frame to create a taut surface for the intricate embroidery featuring beads, sequins, and other embellishments. The display behind her was from a Raf Simons design referencing the historic court dress of Versailles and took over 750 hours to create.

The event was capped by a visit to see the haute joaillerie jewellers and the fragrance department to watch workers tying tiny golden bows on each precious bottle of scent. A small area was set up with miniature copies of some of the most famous dresses created by all 8 Dior designers through the years. Two of my favourites were the 1949 Junon dress by Christian Dior, featuring a waterfall of embroidered scallops made to mimic the petals of a flower and the deconstructed couture of John Galliano and this dress from his fall HC 2005 collection.

The Journées Particulières is an incredible opportunity to go behind the scenes and learn the workings of haute couture and many other types of industry. It can be pretty random when the opportunity is offered, but you can always check the website here for future dates and may the odds be ever in your favour!

I offer visits to the Galerie Dior, the newish museum featuring the 70 year archives of the house, during both my group tours and as a half day tour when I am in Paris. I will give you all the 70+ year history of Dior and point out the most significant parts of the exhibit. Learn more about the group tour or day trips or use the Book Dior button to contact me via email. Bon voyage!