Editing Dior (section)

===Expansion, and death of Christian Dior===
[[File:Buenos Aires - Eva Perón de gala en fundación del Teatro Colón.jpeg|right|thumb|upright=.91|[[Eva Perón]], the [[First Lady of Argentina]] and one of Dior's [[Muse (person)|muses]], wears a custom [[evening gown]] at the [[Teatro Colón]], 1949.]]
[[File:Pair of silk satin evening pumps, designed by Christian Dior, Paris, ca. 1960.jpg|thumb|upright=.91|Silk satin evening pumps by Dior, {{Circa|1960}}]]
Expansion from France began by the end of 1949 with the opening of a Christian Dior boutique in New York City. By the end of the year, Dior fashions made up 75% of Paris's fashion exports and 5% of France's total export revenue.<ref name="funding"/>

In 1949, Douglas Cox from Melbourne, Australia, travelled to Paris to meet with Christian Dior to discuss the possibility of having Dior pieces made for the Australian market. Christian Dior and Douglas Cox signed a contract for Dior to produce original designs and for Douglas Cox to create them in his Flinders Lane workshop.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1300&dat=19490304&id=ErITAAAAIBAJ&pg=6152,4920691&hl=en|title=The Age – Google News Archive Search|website=news.google.com|access-date=13 November 2020|archive-date=13 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201113045457/https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1300&dat=19490304&id=ErITAAAAIBAJ&pg=6152,4920691&hl=en|url-status=live}}</ref> A young Jill Walker, still in her mid teens, was one of the many workers for Douglas Cox, a couture label now in the headlines in Australian newspapers almost daily. Jill would go onto forming a couture legacy in Melbourne with popular labels such as Jinoel and Marti with husband Noel Kemelfield.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/fashion/photographer-in-race-to-document-living-history-of-melbourne-fashions-of-the-1950s-20160601-gp92qu.html|title=Photographer in race to document 'living history' of Melbourne fashions of the 1950s|first=Melissa|last=Singer|date=4 June 2016|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=28 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190129010220/https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/fashion/photographer-in-race-to-document-living-history-of-melbourne-fashions-of-the-1950s-20160601-gp92qu.html|archive-date=29 January 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> The agreement between Dior and Douglas Cox put Australian dressmaking on the global stage, yet ultimately the 60 Dior models proved to be too avant-garde for the conservative Australian taste. Douglas Cox was unable to continue the contract beyond the single 1949 season making these Dior-Cox couture pieces some of the most rare collectors items in Australian couture.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1301&dat=19490501&id=OB0QAAAAIBAJ&pg=7309,197990&hl=en|title=The Sydney Morning Herald – Google News Archive Search|website=news.google.com|access-date=13 November 2020|archive-date=17 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201117203232/https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1301&dat=19490501&id=OB0QAAAAIBAJ&pg=7309,197990&hl=en|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1950, Jacques Rouët, the general manager of Dior Ltd, devised a licensing program to place the now-renowned name of "Christian Dior" visibly on a variety of [[luxury goods]].<ref name="funding"/> It was placed first on neckties<ref name="dior"/> and soon was applied to hosiery, furs, hats, gloves, handbags, jewelry, lingerie, and scarves.<ref name="funding"/> Members of the [[French Chamber of Couture]] denounced it as a degrading action for the [[Haute couture|haute-couture]] image. Nevertheless, licensing became a profitable move and began a trend to continue "for decades to come",<ref name="funding"/> which all couture houses followed.<ref name="dior"/>

Also in 1950, Christian Dior was the exclusive designer of [[Marlene Dietrich]]'s dresses in the [[Alfred Hitchcock]] film ''[[Stage Fright (1950 film)|Stage Fright]]''. In 1951, Dior released his first book, ''Je Suis Couturier'' (''I am a Couturier'') through publishers Editions du Conquistador. Despite the company's strong European following, more than half of its revenue was generated in the United States by this time.<ref name="funding"/> Christian Dior Models Limited was created in London in 1952.<ref name="dior"/> An agreement was made between the Sydney label [[House of Youth]] for Christian Dior New York models.<ref name="dior"/> [[Los Gobelinos]] in [[Santiago, Chile]], made an agreement with Dior for Christian Dior Paris Haute Couture.<ref name="dior"/> The first Dior shoe line was launched in 1953 with the aid of Roger Vivier. The company operated firmly established locations in Mexico, Cuba, Canada, and Italy by the end of 1953.<ref name="funding"/> As popularity of Dior goods grew, so did [[counterfeit]]ing.<ref name="funding"/> This illegal business was supported by women who could not afford the luxury goods.

By the mid-1950s, the House of Dior operated a well-respected fashion empire.<ref name="funding"/> The first Dior boutique was established in 1954 at 9 [[Conduit Street]]. In honour of [[Princess Margaret]] and the [[Frances Spencer-Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough|Duchess of Marlborough]], a Dior fashion show was held at the Blenheim Palace in 1954 as well. Christian Dior launched more highly successful fashion lines between the years of 1954 and 1957.<ref name="funding"/> However, none came as close to the profound effect of the New Look.<ref name="funding"/> Dior opened the Grande Boutique on the corner between [[Avenue Montaigne]] and [[Rue François Ier]] in 1955.<ref name="dior"/> The first Dior lipstick was also released in 1955.<ref name="dior"/> 100,000 garments had been sold by the time of the company's 10th anniversary in 1956.<ref name="funding"/> Actress [[Ava Gardner]] had 14 dresses created for her in 1956 by Christian Dior for the [[Mark Robson (film director)|Mark Robson]] film ''[[The Little Hut]]''.

Christian Dior appeared on the cover of ''TIME'' dated 4 March 1957. The designer died from a third heart attack on 24 October 1957.<ref name="dior"/><ref name="funding"/> The captivating impact of Dior's creative fashion genius earned him recognition as one of history's greatest fashion figures.<ref name="funding"/> Kevin Almond for ''Contemporary Fashion'' wrote that "by the time Dior died his name had become synonymous with taste and luxury."<ref name="funding"/>

Throughout his career, Christian Dior's designs were worn by notable figures such as [[Grace Kelly]], [[Elizabeth Taylor]], [[Édith Piaf|Edith Piaf]], and [[Rita Hayworth]], [[Marlene Dietrich]], [[Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon|Princess Margaret]], and [[Jennifer Jones]] reflecting his influence across Hollywood and European high society.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Christian Dior - The Story of the "Emperor of Fashion" |url=https://dsfantiquejewelry.com/blogs/journal/christian-dior-the-story-of-the-emperor-of-fashion |access-date=2024-11-05 |website=DSF Antique Jewelry |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Uhrig |first=McKenzie |date=2022-10-02 |title=8 Biggest Celebrities Dior Has Worked With Over The Years |url=https://www.thethings.com/celebrities-dior-has-worked-with-over-the-years/ |access-date=2024-11-05 |website=TheThings |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Criales-Unzueta |first=José |date=2024-04-15 |title="The Idea of Freedom in New York is Very Strong"—Maria Grazia Chiuri On Her "Dior New York" Inspirations |url=https://www.vogue.com/article/maria-grazia-chiuri-dior-new-york-inspiration |access-date=2024-11-05 |website=Vogue |language=en-US}}</ref>