Le Château de la Colle Noire & Christian Dior

His refuge

The designer acquired the Château de La Colle Noire in 1950. He was then a worldwide sensation, having just revolutionized fashion with the New Look, perfumery with the success of Miss Dior. And he erected a luxury empire, alone representing 49% of the total turnover of French couture exports in 1950. He then dreamed of a refuge, very close to where his father, ruined, and his beloved sister had established themselves shortly before the war, among the flowers of the Grasse region. Titanic works are started: the hill is covered with roses, jasmine, lavender and almond trees. The garden is adorned with a water mirror where the children of the staff bathe. The castle is dressed in Louis XV furniture and takes on colors: sky blue, soft pink, mauve...

An unmissable visit

The guest book of this second home officially opened on August 8, 1956 and all of Christian Dior's Parisian friends came to sign it. And mingle with the inhabitants of Montauroux: Jean Cocteau, Bernard Buffet, Françoise Giroud, Roger Vivier... But, barely fifteen months later, the creator died suddenly, and the castle was gradually abandoned. It will be necessary to wait until 2013 and its acquisition by LVMH for Monsieur Dior's dream to be reborn: three years of archival research, twenty-five craft trades* mobilized in the service of a monumental restoration in order to reproduce, at the identical, or almost, this jealously guarded place. From October 14, the château will exceptionally open its doors to the general public as part of the LVMH Special Days, which are organized in ninety-three locations across fifteen countries, on four continents. A unique opportunity to stroll among the dreams and emblems of Christian Dior, but also to taste the property's honey and olive oil, to discover five legendary dresses dedicated to Miss Dior and five perfumes. And to admire the know-how of two workshop ladies from the emblematic house. Unmissable.

Crédit : Constance Dovergne pour ELLE Magazine