First published in 1993 in France, this English translation of Marie-France Pochna's biography of Christian Dior appears in time for the 50th anniversary of Dior's debut in the world of fashion and coincides with a retrospective of Dior's design work at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. As a biography of the designer, Pochna's book is complete and telling, perhaps not swept up high enough in the airy realms of fashion to please devoted couture mavens but highly informative and interesting for general readers interested in Dior and his impact on the fashion industry. The business of fashion rather than the artistry of Dior's designs is where Pochna directs much of her attention. After all, the marketing and branding that Dior helped initiate was innovative, so discussions of licensing agreements and the development of designer accessories, along with Dior's youthful development and inspirations, blend into a provocative profile of this fashion great.
The Christian Dior Group today announced consolidated sales at 30th June 2002 of 6,026 million Euros and consolidated net profit from current Group activities of 119 million Euros, compared with 5,832 and 85 million Euros respectively at 30th June 2001.
This profit growth (+ 22 % in terms of operating profit and + 40 % in terms of net profit from current Group activities) reflects the excellent health of LVMH's key brands and the exceptional growth achieved at Christian Dior Couture ; all this despite a difficult economic environment.