Icon Meets Art

The ninth edition of the Dior Lady Art Project celebrates heritage, culture, and creative ingenuity.

- SHIVPRIYA BAJPAI

It takes symbols and legends to withstand the fickle winds of trends. The Lady Dior bag is one such icon of the past, and a testament to timeless elegance and perpetual renewed daring. Named in honour of Princess Diana, the bag truly embodies quintessential Dior style with its refined architectural design and signature quilted pattern. It fuses the house’s eternal codes with the marvellous plurality of its savoir-faire. Under the futuristic vision of Maria Grazia Chiuri, the creative director of Dior, this object of desire has turned into an expansive canvas of artistic possibilities. Since 2016, the Dior Lady Art Project has transcended the boundaries of innovation and inventiveness by serving as a platform to international artists who revisit the iconic bag to bring their fresh creative interpretations. For its ninth edition, 11 renowned global artists take turns in reimagining the Lady Dior as a fascinating emblem of poetic metamorphosis. Translating their unique perspective, extending the narrative of their works, and echoing their values, every reinterpretation is a veritable challenge requiring prodigious prowess.

One of the artists, Faith Ringgold, born in Harlem, has challenged perceptions of racial identity and gender inequality for almost seven decades. She is known for her innovative use of textile quilting and storytelling techniques that revolutionised the art world by fusing activism, craft, and fine art traditions. For the Dior Lady Art Project, the legendary artist had collaborated on six exceptional pieces before she passed away in April 2024. Her 1971 political protest posters, Freedom Woman Now and Woman Free Yourself