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Case 4: Christian Dior, a new look for Haute Couture

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What do you think of Christian Dior as a leader?

“We are unforgivable to do what we did not like in particular if we succeed in it”, such a sentence seems unbelievable coming from Christian Dior, this man who while he was dreaming of architecture, built one of the most famous haute couture house in the world. Coming out of World War II, the French fashion industry with its centuries of leadership was in big trouble. Despite all the efforts of Lucien Lelong, the French Haute Couture had lost its former prestige and New York was slowly becoming the new center of fashion. Nevertheless, one man: Christian Dior succeeded in only a few years in restoring Paris notoriety. What are the key factors that made Christian Dior success? Was he only an exceptional firm leader? Or was he really a visionary who manage to inspire a new development of fashion world?

Indisputably, Christan Dior was a brilliant entrepreneur and manager which represents the base of Dior success.

At first he decided to surround him with people who shared the same vision of him: hard workers, creative, talented with a great experience. Having hired employees with very high “readiness level”, the creator could have a leadership based on delegation, though he worked on his side to draw models and on the other side his team worked hundred thousand hours to realize the hundred dresses of each new fashion show. This type of management was working very well and as he was creative, demanding and grateful, his team was all dedicated to him, “aimed at making the world aware of Him […] with strong tendance to minimize their own parts in the business.”

But having a team so faithful implies to be professional yourself, which Christian Dior had understood very well. In an esthetic sector, he did not restrain his work to dresses