Dior selected Saudi artist Manal Aldowayan as one of the 12 artists to take part in the Dior Lady Art Project
The Lady Dior has become a canvas for skilled artists worldwide due to the Dior Lady Art Project which invites them to transform the bag into works of art inspired by their creative visions. For the sixth edition, Dior selected Saudi artist Manal Aldowayan, who used her interpretations to pay homage to her heritage.
Manal is the first Arab to be commissioned by Dior for Dior Lady Art and describes her work as a love letter to Saudi Arabia. Landscapes of the Mind features swaying palms made of embroidered black feathers on printed gold calfskin with oil barrels – the view from Manal’s childhood home – in the background. The Boys uses an image taken in 1962 by Manal’s father that she reworked for the collaboration. Both are completed with Dior’s signature charms, the former to represent doves, the latter Arabic lettering. Finally, an extraordinarily intricate minaudière bag dubbed Desert Rose was 3D printed to pay tribute to the desert that backed her mother’s home.
The Dior Lady Art Project showcases artists driven by innovation, allowing them to not only share their vision but to bridge the Maison with cultures from around the world. The sixth edition brings 12 artists together from around the globe.
The defining features of the Lady Dior are its cannage motif, Dior charms, rounded handles and architectural lines. Originally named the Chouchou when it was conceptualised in 1994, it was renamed in honour of a beloved figure who counted it among her favourite bags: Lady Diana. Listen to Manal Aldowayan on the Dior Talks podcast here.
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