Handbag History: The Dior Bobby

The last few years have seen a resurgence in archival designs from major design houses, and though Christian Dior’s newest release isn’t exactly an archival revival per se, it is rooted in House history. The Dior Bobby bag was designed by Maria Grazia Chiuri and released for fall 2020, and though this design is new to most, its name dates back decades.

Christian Dior opened his first couture house in October of 1946. The world renowned designer was 41 years old at the time and had already acquired a plethora of knowledge and experience prior to founding his own House. Mr. Dior had an art gallery as well as training as dress designer under his belt, and it was those experiences that shaped his culture and refined his tastes and artistic vision. A post-war world saw great opportunity for Mr. Dior, and the designer had one mission: to help women rediscover the joy and elegance in dressing well. In February of 1947, Dior presented its first collection at 30 avenue Montaigne in Paris.

After just ten years in business, Christian Dior had revolutionized the industry, redefining the traditional concepts of elegance and femininity, presenting collections that were a mix of dreamy and enchanting with unmatched style and quality. In such a short period of time, Mr. Dior had achieved exactly what he set out to, quickly becoming synonymous with French luxury and a redefined view of beauty.

As for the Bobby bag, the design pays homage to Christian Dior himself, named after the designer’s beloved dog Bobby. The four-legged friend has lent his name to many designs over the years. In fact, in past years, each collection contained a suit that was set aside to be a big push for the brand. Each season that suit was, of course, called The Bobby. Dior himself wrote about this in his memoir, stating “each collection contained a suit earmarked for success called Bobby”.

More than just its name is rooted in history when it comes to the Dior Bobby bag. This new House icon with its gentle, curved lines and elegant silhouette pay homage to Mr. Dior’s original vision when founding the house of Dior. After all these years, at the core, Dior is all about celebrating a liberated and assertive sense of elegance. This highly covetable design is finished with Dior’s initials “CD”, further expressing the contemporary, yet timeless essence of the House of Dior. All images courtesy of Dior except where noted.

Shop the Dior Bobby via Dior