The Most Iconic Christian Dior Bag: Lady Dior Ultimate Reference Guide

Every luxury brand has its own legendary purse. They are highly coveted by fashionistas, sometimes hard to find and valuable. For such bags there are no rivals or comparisons, they stand as icons of a fashion house, and make every personal collection truly precious and stylish.

Usually there’s an interesting story behind them, that marks them so unique and outstanding. An accessory with history, what can be more amazing? When you think about Christian Dior bags, what first comes to your mind? For us, it’s magnificent Lady Dior, a true masterpiece of femininity and great taste. This purse has all the features to be called iconic: a simple style, fine leather, a great story behind its creation and an inspiring muse. Let’s find out all about it in our Lady Dior ultimate reference guide!

History: How Did The Lady Dior Handbag Come To Be Named After Princess Diana?

It’s not a surprise that famous Lady Dior has got its name after Princess Diana Spencer. But it wasn’t the case when the bag was created. Back in 1994 when it was introduced, its official name was different. Gianfranco Ferre, being a designer at the Dior fashion house at that time, called it ‘Chouchou’ (which in French means ‘favorite’). To understand how this purse got its name and royal status, let’s take a journey back in time.

It was September, 1995. LMVH sponsored Paul Cezanne’s exhibition at the Grand Palais in Paris, which was undoubtedly one of the most important cultural events of that year. It attracted more than 700 000 of visitors, including foreign journalists. Princess Diana, being already a fashion icon, appeared in a formal black suit with a pearl necklace and earrings, carrying an elegant bag. It was immediately recognized as the new Dior bag which Madame Chirac, the First Lady of France, gave to Diana as a gift to honor her visit to Paris. 

No need to say that Diana fell in love with the elegant accessory and later ordered the entire collection in every available color and size. Paparazzi who were chasing her around the world often took pictures of Princess Diana with this bag. Since then this Dior purse has been associated only with her! The fashion house asked for a permission to rename this model in her honor, and now we all know it as Lady Dior.

Lady Dior Features

The bag hasn’t lost its chic and royal status even in modern times. The number of its admirers is growing each year, and it still remains one of the most coveted luxury purses in history. Let’s see what makes it so special and remarkable!

First, we would like to say a few words about the design. You can’t help but fall in love with those gracious lines and charming but simple style. Lady Dior has proven its name, as it can only be seen in hands of an elegant women. While working on this model, Gianfranco Ferre created a genuine piece of art. The most iconic Christian Dior bag is a perfect combination of all the legendary features of the fashion house:

• High-quality leather and canvas
• Iconic cannage pattern inspired by Napoleon III’s old chairs which were standing in Christian Dior’s atelier
• Rounded firm handles
• Golden or silver charms with letters D, I, O, R
• Bottom feet to make the purse steady

The fashion house states that Lady Dior is made of 144 pieces and is handicraft. Each bag requires at least 8 hours and 7 artisans to be finished. Since its first launch there have been several versions of this purse that differ in color and pattern, size and material but the initial shape and features remain the same.

For the 2020 Spring/Summer collection the bag was redesigned. With a new name – D-Lite – it’s crafted from Egyptian cotton with Cannage stitching not only on the purse, but on the handles, the strap and the flap as well. A big ‘Christian Dior’ logo decorates the middle of the bag. An adjustable strap is much wider than for the original version.

Lady Dior Materials

Over the years fashion house surprised the public with constant changes in the Lady Dior look, so that more and more people would choose the bag as an addition to their outfits. Originally made of leather only, in 2020 it was crafted from canvas for the first time in history.

If you prefer classical models, then look for a Lady Dior made of lambskin or grained calfskin. Other materials that are available: taurillon leather, nubuck and tweed. For lovers of exotic, exclusive, and insanely expensive items Lady Dior is also made of crocodile and lizard leather, ostrich or python skin. Buying a purse crafted of one of these materials would definitely make your style unique.

Lady Dior Sizes and Prices

Currently the bag is represented in 4 sizes, from mini to large, although you can hear that there is also a micro Lady Dior. It is true, but now you can find it only pre-loved because this version is discontinued, and the mini Lad Dior bag became the smallest in the line. The most popular and common size is Medium, it is also unofficially called ‘the classical size’. When it comes to choosing the proper Lady Dior for yourself, rely on your taste only, because, honestly, they are all just exceptionally good!

Here are the current official prices in USA and Europe for various sizes of a classical black Lady Dior made of lambskin (as the most popular model).

Which Bag Is More Iconic: The Chanel Classic Flap Bag or The Lady Dior Bag?

Questions like that are flooding the Internet and multiple purse forums open battles between fans of different brands, who share advantages and disadvantages, describe their experience or just give their personal opinions. Both Chanel classical flap and Lady Dior are stylish, feminine, adorable and legendary, though belonging to different fashion houses. Here is a step by step comparison:

1. Price. Chanel classic flap and Lady Dior are two legends of their fashion houses, the most coveted bags by thousands of fashionistas all over the world. Prices are increasing each year, but Dior is less expensive. To compare and check Chanel Classic Flap prices, check our guide on Which Chanel Bag to Buy First if You Want Classics: Top 3 Most Iconic Chanel Bags
2. Value for money. If in several years you make up your mind to sell your Chanel classic flap (although, we personally see no reasons why anyone would do that) you would be offered good money for it. Lady Dior can be sold too, but you would get less for it.
3. Style. What is remarkable about the Classic flap is that it matches every outfit possible. You can wear it both with dresses and jeans, shorts and formal suits. Lady Dior has one purpose: to add chic, feminine and classic vibes to your outfit. It looks adorable with long skirts and vintage dresses, coats, blouses, scarfs but is not suitable for casual jeans and sport style.

Although, this comparison seems to be not in favor of Lady Dior, it doesn’t make the bag less outstanding. Admirers of Princess Diana or Grace Kelly’s style would be happy to have this purse in their collection. 

Is Lady Dior Worth Buying?

Investing in luxury bags is always a good idea, and Lady Dior is not an exception. This purse is not only a pleasure to carry but is a perfect deal as well. The fashion house keeps increasing prices for their best-selling models. Just imagine, that at secondhand markets the average price for Lady Dior has risen by 2.6 in 5 years. If that’s not a sign of immediate investment, then what? Another fact in favor of buying this model is a recently released D-Lite version. Being made of canvas, not leather, it was swept from the shelves for $4,500 (and that surely means something)!

If you are a big fan of Dior and consider investing more into the purses of this brand, check our Top 10 Most Iconic Dior Bags That You’ll Never Regret Buying

How Can I Tell If My Lady Dior Bag Is Real?

Of course, we couldn’t finish this article without saying a little about authenticating Lady Dior, especially if you’re buying it as pre-loved item. This model has come out in various styles, materials and colors, so it’s hard to tell if a bag is real relying only on the way it looks. To determine the authenticity of a purse you need to pay attention to details. How do you tell if this exact Lady Dior bag is not a good fake?

1. Examine the handles. They should fall easily (both on one side, not in different directions) and be attached to the bag with round hardware. This hardware is always firmly attached to bag, not allowing handles to move.
2. Look at the charms. They are always connected to the main hardware by separate 8-shaped links. 
3. Fine double layer leather. One of the things that makes Lady Dior firm and structured is double layer leather.
4. Pay attention to the shape. Even after many years the purse still keeps its shape and structure. Fake items are usually sloppy and shapeless.
5. Check the color of the stitching. They are usually of the very same shade as the leather. If you see stitches of another hue, you’re holding a fake.
6. Look at the interior pattern. One of the most important thing in Lady Dior is its lining. The interior should be quilted with the same Cannage pattern as the bag. Counterfeit products usually add lining with the Dior name all over the material.

There are also some other features that help tell if your bag is real, like a zipper, a heat stamp, a dust bag, etc. To upgrade your Dior authentication skills, read our article on How To Spot a Fake Dior Bag: Ultimate Authentication Guide

But if you want to enjoy the most iconic Christiab Dior bag, the same that Princess Diana once held in her hands, it’s better to order professional authentication. 
That will save you lots of money and even more time and nerves. We think it’s better to put more efforts and thoughts into thinking which outfit would best suit your new Lady Dior than worrying about counterfeit products.