Dior: The Art of Color

It is amazing that practically every book devoted to Dior, whether the designer himself or the DNA of the brand, can be consistently as exquisitely produced, informative, and entertaining. Dior remains one of the most written about designers and brands, but each book that gets published stands alone on its merit as well exploring a different facet of the name and brand Dior.

Dior: The Art of Color focuses on the cosmetic and make up aspect of the brand. Without question, the visuals go under the heading of rarely equaled but it is the text that gets somewhat bogged down with its very sort of intellectual history.

The threading together of color via history and art might cause some readers to get lost in the explanations while learning about the history of Dior cosmetics. The two most absorbing chapters are those titled Red and Purple for reasons that will be revealed later in this review.

There is no hesitation in saying that the glory days of the brand came as a byproduct of two of its creative directors and visionaries Serge Lutens (Red) and Tyen (Purple). Both of them gave clients, voyeurs, and industry observers an astounding library of images that can be rivaled by none of their colleagues as far as creativity and color. Their interviews are the unexpectedly fabulous highlight of this book, besides, of course, the photos.

It must be said that without these two and the art of Rene Gruau, the brand might never have become as iconic or as visually memorable as it remains today. Peter Phillips, who has been appointed the successor to these visionaries, has no small task ahead of him, but he has already drawn upon them as sources of inspiration—which bodes well for all concerned.

If you love photography, makeup, Dior, fashion, or color, then this book is a must and sets a high bar for the genre as well as competing brands. Remember, Christmas is coming!