An archival piece of Dior haute couture, photographed by Robert Polidori amongst the reconstruction of the maison's Paris flagship.
Photo: Robert Polidori
The Restoration of Dior’s Paris Flagship Doubles as a Background for a Couture Installation
Creative Mind Robert Polidori’s photographs of sartorial pieces from the maison’s archives, set against building’s deconstructed spaces, are presented in a glorious new tome
Dior Metamorphosis (Rizzoli) by Robert Polidori. Photo:
Acclaimed for his haunting images of ruins and restorations around the world, Robert Polidori meticulously captures every detail of an environment in his large-format prints. For his latest project, the photographer, also a 2021 Creative Mind, turns his lens on Dior’s historic 30 Avenue Montaigne location in Paris.
During the extensive renovation, Polidori was granted unfettered access to the evolution of the hôtel particulier, often composing striking vignettes of vintage Dior pieces surrounded by the building’s exposed bones. Published in the new volume Dior Métamorphose (Rizzoli), the evocative images present the space before, during, and after construction while quietly conveying the timeless power of the maison’s designs.
Maria Grazia Chiuri’s Essence dherbier dress from Dior's haute couture spring-summer 2017 collection photographed inside the restoration of the maison's Parisian headquarters at 30 Avenue Montaigne. Photo: Robert Polidori
Bar ensemble from Christian Dior's haute couture spring-summer 1947 line. Photo: Robert Polidori
Gianfranco Ferré-Hellébore dress from Dior's haute couture spring-summer 1995 collection. Photo: Robert Polidori
A version of this article first appeared in print in our 2023 Spring Issue under the headline “Garment Construction.” Subscribe to the magazine.
Cover: An archival piece of Dior haute couture, photographed by Robert Polidori amongst the reconstruction of the maison's Paris flagship.
Photo: Robert Polidori
