Referencing house codes is par for the course when talking about a house that’s as storied as Dior. Yet, not many fashion houses can point to the actual home of its founder as a continuous source of reference.
Monsieur Dior’s childhood home in Granville, Normandy, is a 19th-century villa that still stands to this day and has been transformed into the Musée Christian Dior. Situated atop a cliff, the Villa Les Rhumbs’ façade consists of colours that have become synonymous with the Maison. Monsieur Dior himself was constantly inspired by the villa’s blush pink and grey walls, referencing them time and time again as two intrinsically opposing elements. And needles to say, the childhood home remains a source of inspiration for many of Dior’s different universes.
At Dior Men, the latest bag conceived by Kim Jones is a nod to the region where Monsieur Dior was born and where Villa Les Rhumbs is located.
The Normandie bag isn’t pink nor grey (yet) but its design reflects the resolute timelessness of Monsieur Dior’s childhood home. Jones wanted the Normandie bag to be a reimagining of a tote bag with an emphasis on its softness and lightness while still being fully made of leather. In order to achieve this, the choice of leather was key—a matte grained leather with a silky hand feel that is the result of a complex tanning process, and has been christened Dior Icons leather. The shape of the bag, while pared back, is a testament to the craftsmanship of the Dior ateliers and requires meticulousness at every stage of its construction. Its main compartment is roomy with a zipped pocket and flat pockets for internal organisation, while a curved top handle as well as an adjustable strap amps up the bag’s practicality factor.
The silvered eyelets that adorn the relatively hardware-lite Normandie are thoughtfully designed to assist in the fastening of the bag. Instead of a classic top closure typical of tote bags, the Normandie is secured with a strap that wraps around its top, belted through the eyelets and fastened with snap buttons. When left undone and loosened, the full capacity of the bag is uncovered, making the Normandie quite a trusty travel bag.
And like any good leather bag (a perhaps often overlooked design element), the Normandie is finished with metallic bag legs that offer added support so that the leather base is not in full contact with the ground or any surface for that matter. This helps in minimising scuffing and ensuring that the Normandie will be a constant companion for quite a long time—season after season, and whether you’re home or abroad.
