From the beginning, Christian Dior adored New York.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The French couturier visited Manhattan for the first time in 1947, shortly after debuting his seminal New Look collection, a celebration of the hourglass silhouette. \u201cMy two days in New York were spent in a continuous state of wonder,\u201d he wrote in his autobiography, \u201cDior by Dior.\u201d By 1948, the designer had opened a boutique on Fifth Avenue.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The new women\u2019s shoe salon at the House of Dior New York is furnished with Paul Mathieu\u2019s Bianca benches and Voukenas Petrides Studio bronze coffee tables. Courtesy of Dior<\/p>\n
Fast forward 77 years and the maison<\/a> has unveiled its renovated four-story flagship at the corner of 57th Street and Madison Avenue, just steps from the original address. The House of Dior New York showcases a glamorous array of luxury products, including women\u2019s and men\u2019s ready-to-wear, leather goods, accessories, fine jewelry and La Collection Priv\u00e9e Christian Dior fragrances, along with exclusive limited-edition items created especially for the location. The first Dior Spa in the US sits atop the store, while the first stand-alone Dior Maison boutique is next door.<\/p>\n Architect Peter Marino designed the sleek space, mixing contemporary finishes with traditional touches like Versailles parquet flooring and plenty of flora and fauna. The whimsical window displays feature flowers, birds, butterflies, and other plants and animals \u2014 made of fabric scraps from Dior ateliers and brought to life through animatronic technology.\u00a0<\/p>\n A treatment room at the new Dior Spa. Courtesy of Dior<\/p>\n Equally vibrant is the Insta-worthy Diorama lining the walls of the spiral staircase. Some 500 miniature dresses, shoes, bags, perfumes and hats \u2014 arranged in a color gradient \u2014 trace Dior\u2019s history and mirror a famous installation in La Galerie Dior in Paris.\u00a0<\/p>\n The store\u2019s museum-level art includes works by Jennifer Steinkamp, Jean-Michel Othoniel, Nir Hod and Tony Scherman; photographs by Charles Jones and Robert Mapplethorpe; and furniture by Michele Oka Doner and Roland Mellan.\u00a0<\/p>\n Dress, $9,500 at House of Dior<\/strong> New York, 23 E. 57th St. Courtesy of Dior<\/p>\n To celebrate its reopening after a five-year renovation, the boutique is introducing a number of exclusive offerings. Lady Dior \u2014 the bag carried by and named after Princess Diana \u2014 is embellished with rose-gold charms and a surrealist floral sculpture by Anna Weyant.\u00a0<\/p>\n Other highlights? A pink satin Lady D-Joy handbag embroidered with beads and pearls, Tribales heeled sandals and J\u2019Adior slingbacks stamped \u201cNew York House of Dior.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n The Mini Lady Dior<\/strong> bag, $5,900, is making its debut at the flagship. Courtesy of Dior<\/p>\n There\u2019s a special Bar Jacket \u2014 the timeless New Look blazer with a nipped waist \u2014 in unique fabrics and colors. Hot off the press are a scarf, Book Tote, Lady Dior handbag and other pieces in the label\u2019s iconic New York newspaper print. \u00a0<\/p>\n As for bijoux, designer Victoire de Castellane\u2019s Bois de Rose fine jewelry line has been reimagined with luminous pink and blue sapphires. An exclusive version of the Chiffre Rouge timepiece, meanwhile, is adorned with a rose-gold bezel and bumper.<\/p>\n Tribales sandals, $1,600 at House of Dior<\/strong> New York, 23 E. 57th St. Courtesy of Dior<\/p>\n Shoppers can stock up on scents in the fragrance area or head upstairs to the spa\u2019s boutique to peruse scent, makeup and skin-care essentials, such as Dior Prestige and L\u2019Or de Vie, plus exceptional pieces including the Amphora and Rouge Premier. The spa\u2019s four state-of-the-art treatment rooms feature pampering amenities like infrared or re-energizing mattresses, weighted anti-stress blankets and cryo-effect sleep masks; clients can also book makeup sessions in the beauty room. Three facials and four body treatments are on the menu, along with add-ons like foot relief.<\/p>\n