Every story we hear or read is shaped by the person who tells it. The facts may remain the same, yet the meaning and emotion can shift depending on the storyteller. Think about school, when the very same concept can feel completely different depending on which teacher explains it. Learning about something is never a single experience. How many times have we heard the story of Christian Dior? Maybe you read about him in a fashion history textbook or came across an article, or perhaps you watched a documentary or mini-series. Now and until May 3, 2026, Azzedine Alaïa’s Dior Collection at Galerie Dior in Paris showcases the celebrated Tunisian designer’s own collection, presenting the story of the French couturier from a renewed and personal perspective.
Each format and medium offers its own perspective, and every time Dior’s story is told, it changes slightly, coloured by the voice that narrates it. This time the story is told through the eyes of a designer that arrived in Paris, the city he had long dreamt of, with nothing more than a letter of recommendation in his pocket and an ambition strong enough to open, even if only for a few days, the doors of the atelier of the couturier of the New Look.
You have to know that when Azzedine Alaïa passed away in 2017, what was discovered in his basement wasn’t a hidden family secret; it was a treasure: 20,000 fashion pieces from different designers. The most recurrent name among them? Christian Dior. Curated by Olivier Saillard in collaboration with Gael Mamine, the exhibition showcases more than a hundred creations of the French designer from this hidden trove.
Through the Bar Jacket, the Rose des Vents taffeta evening dress, the vibrant and dreamy designs, and the iconic silhouettes, the exhibition tells the story of an endless exploration into the mysteries of clothing and the delicate structures that make each dress seem to stand on its own. It is the story of a teenage dream. But, above all, it tells the story of a fashion house written by many different voices, from Christian Dior to Yves Saint Laurent, passing through John Galliano.
But an archive is not only a form of admiration; it is also a wellspring of inspiration. Alongside the exhibition at La Galerie Dior, the Alaïa Foundation presents a show where pieces from both designers meet, converse, and overlap. In this dialogue, Christian Dior’s story becomes, in part, Alaïa’s story, as the exhibition reveals how deeply the Tunisian designer was shaped by Dior’s vision. And perhaps, in the quiet of these rooms, the story doesn’t just belong to them, but it becomes part of ours too, reminding us that the narratives we inherit can quietly shape the way we see and imagine the world.
