Why Is Dior Oblique Canvas Still a Must-Have Today?
Considered by many to be Dior's official monogram, the jacquard canvas made its debut in 1967 when it was designed by the then artistic director, Marc Bohan. It enjoyed immediate success and has clearly stood the test of time because, more than 50 years later, it remains just as relevant. Here is everything you need to know about this legendary print.
Who created the Dior Oblique print?
This motif, which is considered Dior's monogram, was created in 1967 by French designer Marc Bohan. He was Dior's creative director from 1961 to 1989.
Why is it called "Oblique"?
The word "oblique" means "neither perpendicular nor parallel," according to the Merriam Webster dictionary. But for Dior, the Oblique motif takes its name from the autumn collection created by Christian Dior in the 1950s. The French house's signature consists of oblique repetitions of the "Dior" insignia, a simple but well-established motif in the fashion industry.
The beginnings of the Oblique motif
Surprisingly, it was not until 1969 that the motif was incorporated into one of the bags in Dior's Haute Couture collection at the time. Oblique was also used to decorate Dior's luggage collection in 1971 and to adorn the floor and steps of the Dior Monsieur boutique in 1974!
Fast-forward to the early 2000s and, under the creative direction of John Galliano, Oblique was transformed into full-pattern streetwear looks that definitely left their mark on the runway. It was thanks to him that the fashion world saw the birth of the Oblique Saddle Bag, which is still very much loved and coveted by many people today. We must also pay tribute to fashion photographer Nick Knight, who created the campaign for Dior's 2004 collection, in which supermodel Gisele Bundchen wore a head-to-toe patterned look. Gisele was dressed in a bikini and a jacket, holding two bags, leaning against a snowboard, all in a detailed green and yellow Oblique pattern. This photo practically cemented the print's cool status, and the rest, as they say, is history.
The revival of the Oblique motif
In 2018, Maria Grazia Chiuri, Dior's current creative director since 2016, revisited the house's archives and brought nostalgic yet timeless Dior pieces into the spotlight with a contemporary touch. During her first steps at Dior, the Oblique motif was only visible on the Prêt-à-Porter collection and the Saddle Bag. Today, the motif is present on most, if not all, Dior items, from handbags to bucket hats!
With Maria Grazia Chiuri at the helm, Dior still maintains the same craftsmanship that the house promises, despite the many changes it has undergone over the years, and today produces Oblique canvas while preserving the streetwear vein associated with this print since the 2000s (one perfect example being this full look worn by Rihanna). Despite its 54-year history and its reinventions, Dior's Oblique motif has been and will always be a representation of the house's heritage.
Variations
Today, Dior offers around eight variations of the Oblique motif, which differ mainly by shade. It is available in navy, burgundy, grey, brown, dark brown, denim blue, black and green.
Dior pieces featuring the Oblique print worth buying
1. Book Tote
Although Chiuri has modernized the Oblique print, her work still reflects the same artisanal craftsmanship that has always been associated with Dior, with the Book Tote requiring an impressive total of 37 hours of work, including 1.5 million hand-stitched stitches; as you can imagine, the items are sold at a high price.
2. Saddle Bag
The most famous remains the updated Saddle Bag that John Galliano first introduced in 2000. The Saddle Bag also seems to be one of Chuiri's own favorites, as she told Vogue: "The Saddle Bag is one of those iconic pieces that always manages to remain contemporary... It is also one of the codes that symbolize Dior's recent history."
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