Château de la Colle Noire in Grasse, Christian Dior’s Provençal dream is alive again

Christian Dior’s House, Le Château de la Colle Noire, is once again opening its doors, in Grasse (South of France). 

Dior Chateau de la Colle Noire Grasse France--2016 opening

French luxury house Dior renovated Christian Dior’s historic castle in Grasse (France), a region considered the world capital of perfumes and the land of flowers used in perfumery. Dior’s founder lived in La Colle Noire until his death in 1957. The 51 hectares of the land were cultivated for flowers like May roses and Grasse jasmine and fruit trees. The property is now populated also with lily of the valley, tulips, along with apricot, almond, cherry, and olive trees. Le Château de la Colle Noire includes a field of 1000 rose bushes. For now the castle is closed to the public, but it will host special events for the luxury maison.

Château de La Colle Noire had been Christian Dior’s final dream,” explained Claude Martinez, the chief executive of Dior Parfums.

the Chateau de la Colle Noire Grasse France Dior at Grasse Dior Chateau de la Colle Noire Grasse France--

“He had turned it into a Pharaonic project, with painstaking attention paid to every detail of the décor, a heavenly garden, and hectares of land planted with trees, vines and fragrance flowers. We were lucky that the last owner hadn’t made any changes. The château was there, intact, just waiting for us to wake it up from a long sleep.”

Miss Dior perfume had been inspired by an evening in Provence

“The wheel has come full circle,” added Martinez. “The Dior perfumes of tomorrow will be created there, where nature inspired the founding house fragrances of Miss Dior, Eau Fraîche, Diorama and Eau Sauvage, using Dior flowers.”

Dior La Colle Noir Perfume 2016

The holiday estate of the couturier inspired a new addition to Dior’s La Collection Privée Christian Dior. François Demarchy’s new perfume called ‘La Colle Noire‘ is focused on May rose, Madagascan clove, Sri Lankan sandalwood, amber, and musk.

the Chateau de la Colle Noire the Chateau de la Colle Noire Grasse France- Christian Dior Dior Castle Grasse Dior Chateau de la Colle Noire

 

It’s Haute Joaillerie time. Sylvan escapism with La Rose Dior and Archi Dior

Flowers of stones and gold bloom as buds or bouquets on the fingers.

dior_rosedior_2016

Roses are ancient symbols of love and beauty. Dior Joaillerie creative director Victoire de Castellane has transformed Monsieur Dior’s favorite flower into precious talismans in the Rose Dior Bagatelle, Rose Dior Pré Catelan and Bois de Rose collections. These roses are now featured in a new campaign shot by Patrick Demarchelier.

rosedior_campaign 2016-

“Inspired by the roses that Christian Dior grew in his childhood, and those that blossom not far from central Paris, in the Jardins de Bagatelle and at the Pré Catelan, Victoire de Castellane offers a sense of sylvan escapism in which the flowers are precious and to be worn singly or as a bucolic bunch,” explained the luxury house.

A hand-sculpted amethyst rose reveals a glimpse of diamond peeking out from under its petals, set like a dewdrop on a gold stem. Others, in rose quartz, act as a source of nectar for a foraging diamond-set bee. Elsewhere, a fine golden stem wraps around the fingers, and a bouquet of roses is completely diamond-drenched.

ARCHI DIOR campaign 2016

Similar to ‘La Rose Dior’, the ‘Archi Dior’ collection pays homage to Monsieur Dior’s vision of transposing the principles of architecture to couture. Victoire de Castellane adapts the inherent movement of fabrics to the language of precious stones and metals.

“I wanted to create each piece in the same architectural way in which Christian Dior’s dresses were designed, as if the jewels were fabrics that has been sculpted, ruffled, pleated, belted, draped,” explains the designer.

dior la rose dior

 

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