Especially after a year like this, we all need a little magic. The start of December means peak holiday season and as our towns and stores are setting up holiday cheer, it’s our homes where we feel safest to transform our everyday life into an entirely new and magical setup. Shopping from home doesn’t have to mean missing the experience, and this year I’m here to bring you the joy that finding the right new bag brings. Grab a cup of coffee, tea, wine or hot chocolate (with whip cream and throw in some marshmallows because why not), and enjoy this journey with me, the one in which I show you my favorite new Dior Bags from the Cruise 2021 collection which make the perfect holiday gift.
Shop DIOR Cruise
Dior under Maria Grazia Chiuri’s direction has paired longstanding House elements like structured tailoring with a focus on designs being comfortable, which has further strengthened the fan base. However, it’s the bags under the Creative Director’s helm that have been the focal point, not just for bag lovers, but fashion aficionados around the world. Maria Grazia Chiuri created arguably one of the most coveted bags of the last decade: the Dior Book Tote. Introduced for the brand’s Spring/Summer 2018 collection, Chiuri pulled inspiration from Dior archives and a drawing produced by Marc Bohan in 1967 to come up with the now must-have tote. While it’s simple in its design, the Book Tote requires more than thirty seven hours of work and over 1,500,000 stitches to complete, or more depending on the intricacy. Each is a work of artistry, starting in a family-run atelier in Italy and finishing at the House’s leather-making atelier in Florence.
Dior Book Tote
With new sizes and designs being released seasonally (I just shared the new Small Dior Toile de Jouy Embroidery Book Tote), the assortment offers an option for everyone and makes for the perfect gift. A tote is a must-have in any handbag lovers collection, and while utility and function reign supreme in totes, finding an option that is fashion-forward is just as important. And the Book Tote is arguably the most coveted and sought after tote of the past few years, transforming from daily wear to longer hauls effortlessly and seamlessly. The Dior Book Tote quickly turned into a staple of the Dior aesthetic and if you’ve been eying a Book Tote, these new versions are truly a sight to behold.
The Dior In Lights Book Tote was inspired by the light festivals in the south of Italy, which played an integral role in Dior’s Cruise Show, taking place in Puglia this past July. The lights festivals in Italy fill the streets with colorful and spectacular light installations and Dior’s show drew inspiration from these events and created its own light installation as a backdrop as well. This Book Tote features graphic multicolor embroidery of the Dior In Lights motif accented with metallic thread. Each of the four sides of the tote has a different color which creates an alluring patchwork look. Hues of pink, purple, turquoise, yellow, and green fill this bag and make it easy to pair with nearly any outfit. The frontside with the Christian Dior name is multicolored while the back of the bag focuses more on green and red hues. Many will switch which side they face out with their Book Tote and in this case, it offers you a completely different look. The Book Tote can be carried by hand or worn over the shoulder, with dimensions of 41.5 x 35 x 18 cm.
Another option that is more classic in its color-way but equally as enviable and intricate is the Dior Latte Multicolor Dior Zodiac Embroidery Book Tote. The black and cream hues may seem more traditional, but this Book Tote is anything but simple. The silhouette is fully embroidered with the Dior Zodiac motif, which channels Mr. Dior’s fascination with astrology. In fact, codes and symbols have been a recurring theme throughout the history of the brand, from Christian Dior himself to the creative directors that followed showcasing astrological signs and symbols in the accessories and fashion collections. This Book Tote has an intricate astrological scene on the front of the bag while the back and sides show an astrological chart.
If you love Tie-Dye, Dior also has a new Tie-Dye version of the Book Tote, this time in a pink and blue toned combination. The House created its own hallmark Tie-Dye motif which has been reimagined in these soft tones.
Dior Bobby
The Dior Bobby is another success under Maria Grazia Chiuri. Launched for Fall 2020, the Bobby showcases timeless modernity with a clean and sleek design. The name pays tribute to Mr. Dior’s beloved dog, Bobby, and the name has been used in countless looks over time. The hobo style is both laid back and elevated, with sophisticated lines that beautifully come together on this design. There are more sizes now, but the large is shown here (in Beige Box) and is my favorite as it is large enough for your essentials but doesn’t lose the sophistication in its lines and proportions at all. The shoulder strap is removable and adjustable, so you can wear the bag by hand, over the shoulder, or crossbody, and you can always opt for one of the plethora of different straps Dior offers to really make this bag your own. The Bobby sits nicely on your body, is easy to use, and the simplicity of the design doesn’t take away from the overall beauty of the bag.
The flap closure front is easy to use, with a magnetic clasp and a decorative CD buckle. On the interior of the Bobby you’ll find a patch pocket and suede calfskin interior. The back of the bag has an embossed ’30 Montaigne’ signature that slyly sits right above the back pocket which is really nice for an easily accessible pocket. The cloud blue box calfskin is such a dreamy hue, and one that works for your winter wardrobe into spring and summer flawlessly. And there’s also this perfect neutral beige hue, and you can never go wrong with beige. On top of that, Dior offers a plethora of other leather and embroidered options when it comes to the Bobby in a variety of stunning colors. Dimensions of the medium Bobby are 22 x 17 x 6 cm.
Lady Dior and Lady D-Lite
Dior’s Lady Bag dates back to 1995 when it was first spotted on the arms of Lady Diana, Princess of Wales, on a trip to Paris. The then unnamed bag quickly became known as the Lady Dior and the iconic moment propelled the bag into handbag history. From when it was first spotted, the Lady Dior bag has become one of the most iconic bags of all time, with 25 years of updates and new renditions. Last season, the D-Lite version was offered, giving a more casual and lighter look to the house classic.
With the same Dior In Lights motif as the Book Tote above, the Lady D-Lite was finished with a similar fully embroidered graphic. The D.I.O.R charms in gold-finished hardware adorn this bag and the wide, reversible and removable embroidered strap offers an everyday wearable look. The inside features a zip and patch pocket and the bag can be carried by hand, worn over the shoulder, or crossbody. There’s another D-Light that syncs with the Tie-Dye Book Tote as well, with all the same details and features of the other D-Lite bags but with the Tie-Dye motif on the front.
And if we are going to talk Lady Dior Bags, sometimes you just want the original, and of course Dior offers that. The classic bag epitomizes the House’s vision of elegance and beauty. It’s a bag that will always be refined and elegant, a bag that can be dressed up or carried more casually, and a bag that is instantly recognizable for its shape and quilted leather to the Cannage stitching.
Medium Lady D-Lite Bag in Multicolor Tie & Dior Embroidery & Book Tote in Multicolor Tie & Dior Embroidery
Medium Lady D-Lite Bag in Multicolor Tie & Dior Embroidery & Book Tote in Multicolor Tie & Dior Embroidery
The experience of buying a designer bag is one that starts from the moment you start looking. You check websites, you read reviews, you look at pictures, you watch videos, you ask handbag obsessed strangers about a bag and they help guide your decision. But the actual purchasing is an experience itself and Dior offers the best holiday packaging. Each year, the holiday packaging ties back to a major theme for the House of Dior, and this year the packaging spreads the magical beauty of Luminarie. These colorful, lighted architectures were part of the scene of the 2021 Cruise show and bring each package to life on both boxes and gift bags. Mr. Dior loved the beauty and escapism fashion allowed, and this packaging delights in every way – from the whimsical decor to the gold accents to the spellbinding design. You can experience this on the next level with a filter Dior created for Instagram, Snapchat and more. If you are to get the gift of Dior, then you’ll want to keep this packaging, just as I have from seasons past, as a decor piece and reminder of a bag that holds a very special place in my heart and collection.
There are so many bags from Dior that make the perfect holiday gift for the bag obsessed and these are some of my favorites. In a way that Dior does so well, each combine elements from the House that I love, from the traditional, to the new and whimsical.
