Think of an iconic piece. More specifically the Medallion Chair from Dior. Did you ever think it was possible to reinvent what was already iconic? Well, if you’re Dior, you can. In this case, they had a little help from 17 global artists.
75 years ago, the legend Christian Dior, started his design work on 30 Avenue Montaigne, in an elegant hotel in Paris, that soon would become the storied “fashion house’s beating heart.” At that time, Dior selected decorator Victor Grandpierre to concoct interiors that were “the height of genteel refinement, channeling the Louis XVI style that Dior adored and would return to in his garments”. The medallion, its oval shape, it’s one recurring aspect that it’s very present in the brand’s creation and it’s become a signature aspect.
“Our tastes were perfectly in tune, thanks to a shared search for our childhood paradises,”
Dior
The house’s interior brand, Dior Maison, reached out to 17 international artists, designers, and architects to reimagine the Medallion chair, a project that was unveiled at the Salone del Mobile fair in Milan. The project has a little bit of everything, from the use of basic elements, like the version by French artist Pierre Charpin, to more different shapes such as Pierre Yovanovitch’s curvaceous contribution.
“Each iteration is delightfully different—something Monsieur Dior himself would surely have appreciated. As the couturier once quipped: “Individuality will always be one of the conditions of real elegance.” Come along with us and check some of the artist’s best work.
Dior | INDIA MAHDAVI
“Designer India Mahdavi created five color variations on the Medallion chair, whose embroidered cushions leverage craft techniques from Kashmir. The collection forms “a united tribe despite their individuality,”
See also: SHOWDOWN OF THE BEST ALL-TIME ROYAL JEWELRY
Dior | PIERRE CHARPIN
“French artist Pierre Charpin introduced this minimal take on the chair, which features a black steel frame and a mirrored seat. The gesture enables the sitter to “look at oneself before being looked at,” according to Charpin. “
Dior | MA YANSONG
“Architect Ma Yansong, principal of the firm MAD, is known for his fantastical approach to building. It’s no surprise, then, that he would push the envelope in his version of the Medallion chair. This one is 3D-printed in polyurethane to evoke a meteor coursing through the night sky. “
Dior | DIMORESTUDIO
“Milan firm Dimorestudio approached its chair design with its signature play on history. The chair was made to appear as if it were disassembled and then patched together with bronze and brass; fissures and cracks were filled with gold leaf.”
Dior | JOY DE ROHAN CHABOT
“Playing off of Dior’s ongoing love of floral motifs and botanicals, artist Joy de Rohan Chabot covered her Medallion chair in delicate bronze blooms, much like a couture gown.”
See the full gallery at Elle.com
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