Few handbags have withstood the test of time quite like a Lady Dior.
Almost 28 years after its original release (on the arm of none other than Princess Diana), Creative Director Maria Grazia Chiuri put her signature touch on the maison’s iconic accessory, with the birth of the Lady 95.22 handbag.
The launch sees BLACKPINK’s Jisoo take her turn with the iconic bag, in new campaign that celebrates “multiple facets of plural femininity.” As the House’s fashion and beauty global ambassador, Jisoo, along with other “outstanding figures” who have “distinguished themselves in the realms of art, cinema, sports, literature, fashion and music” embody this vision.
Making its debut at the Autumn-Winter 22/23 Ready-To-Wear show, the revamped 95.22 showcases an updated shape and curved edges, with the luxury French brand’s unique heritage and modernity fueling its creation. Its name comes from the sartorial fusion of the past and present, with 1995 as the date of the icon’s creation, and 2022 as the year of its revival.
“An ode to the connection between past and present, this irresistible model reinvents the emblematic lines of the Lady Dior; its name echoes the year 1995, the date of the icon’s creation, and 2022, the year of this exclusive new revival,” states Dior in Maison notes.
Back in 1995, former Dior creative director Gianfranco Ferre originally named the bag “Chouchou.” But after French First Lady Bernadette Chirac gifted a Chouchou to Princess Diana, who then debuted her new purse at the Grand Palais in Paris, it was eternally renamed after her. The Lady Dior soon became one of Lady Diana’s must-haves and was sighted on her arm at nearly all of her outings, turning a twist of fate into a fashion legend.
Unlike the Lady Di, the renaissance model features a contemporary, subtly curved silhouette that is slightly elongated. Dior’s signature cannage quilting is remixed into an emblematic maxicannage, further enhancing its statement visual presence.
The two handles are dressed in leather and metal, punctuated with Dior’s signature lucky charms, evoking Monsieur Dior’s grigris. The Lady 95.22 is available in three sizes – small, medium and extra-large – and two timeless shades, black and latte, with precious ruthenium or pale gold finishes.
Dior’s new Lady 95.22 bag is now available in select Dior stores, but you can learn more about it here.
