Famed French fashion house Dior has created a bespoke, Art Deco-inspired dressing table service for guests of Claridge's, the landmark London hotel (above) whose devotees include Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Nicole Kidman, Kate Moss, Mick Jagger, Madonna and Victoria Beckham. Designed as the ultimate luxury amenity for glamorous occupants of the hotel's Viscount David Linley-designed suites, the service offers all the essentials necessary for a glamorous night out on the town. The Dior Dressing Table includes a carefully curated range of timeless accessories, including an elegant silk Claridge's dressing gown and slippers; a cashmere eye mask; a selection of classic Dior fragrances and beauty products; cocktails from a special 1930s menu; and era-appropriate books and music for entertainment.

[via JustLuxe]

Several years ago, designer Andrae Gonzalo (of Project Runway fame) sent me a terrific little book on the history of stripes called The Devil's Cloth. I fished out the book recently and inside the jacket found Gonzalo's personal note: "From one zebra to another. Now you're really ready for spring 2002!" Back then, I was reporting for Women's Wear Daily and I had been talking to Gonzalo-at that time a buyer for the American Rag boutique in Los Angeles-about the chicest look of the season: stripes.

Cut to fall 2009. Little has changed. From Christian Dior Haute Couture in Paris to New York It boy Prabal Gurung, designers continue to send stripes down the runway. Whether zebra or nautical, it seems there's always demand for the clean and crisp, yin-yang pattern. A classic.

So it might shock you, as it did me, to learn that striped cloth was once a controversial religious garment not unlike the burqa today. According to the book, a few striped-clad monks called the Carmelites moved from Palestine to Paris where they were ridiculed and jeered. They were accused of greed, hypocrisy and treachery and even seen as the henchmen for the devil and the Antichrist. All because of their stripes.

The scandal got so out of hand, a Pope stepped in to ban all monks from wearing striped habits. Here's the kicker: Some 19th Century scholars believe Western Europeans had such a fit because the cloaks–probably resembling something like striped djellabas–had Asian or Middle Eastern origins.

Sometimes it helps for have friends who speak Russian. That's how I found this article which indicates that Christian Dior's French castle is up for sale. A little digging led me to what looks to be the listing for Chateau de la Colle Noire, Dior's home in the south of France.

Dior bought the property in 1950 and spent considerable time and money restoring it. After his death in 1957 it passed through various hands and as of late has been available to rent for weddings. The band Oasis even recorded there in 1999. The castle has 30 rooms with 18 bedrooms and several outbuildings as well as a chapel, tennis court and swimming pool.

[Thanks, Lana]

It's hard not to wonder if closing of the Christian Dior boutique on Palm Beach, Florida's elite Worth Avenue has something to do with the fallout from the Bernard Madoff scheme. Some of his wealthy Palm Beach neighbors were among his victims. Whatever the reason, the Dior store quickly pulled up stakes right after Christmas. The Palm Beach Daily News says that the windows are covered in black paper and just the shadow of the former Dior signage remains. There's no dearth of elite boutiques on Worth Avenue but the defection of Dior may send ripples of dismay around the luxury shopping destination.

Famous art lecturer and socialite Rosamond Bernier is cleaning out her closet, and on Thursday her vintage couture castoffs will be available on Yoox.com. Included in the sale is a rare piece from Yves Saint Laurent's reign at Christian Dior, a waterprint taffeta gown with matching evening bag. (Bernier donated a 1949 Dior, at right, to the Met.)

Bernier gave her last art lecture at the Met in March, but could probably tell a number of stories about the clothes she recently handed over -- Zandra Rhodes frocks and Chanel suits she's been collecting for decades. Considering Bernier's been named to the International Best Dressed List -- for life -- the selection on Yoox is worth a look.

[via The Stylephile]

We are late to the party on this one, the Engadget gang covered it way back in May and seemed quite unimpressed but the latest designer in the cellphone game is Christian Dior. The Dior phone is aimed at the Chinese and Russian luxury markets and will sell for around $5,000. The slim phone has a touch-screen, camera and Swarovski crystals on the faceplate. The most unique feature is that Dior phone is so posh it comes with its own phone. The phone has a mini mobile phone that resembles a USB key so that you can put the main phone in your Dior purse and use the mini phone to make calls. Why? I have no idea.

The name of a product is an important indicator in predicting it's success, take the cleverly named Gucci Hysteria Purse that lived up to its title quite nicely by causing shopping madness. I'm crazy about the new Extreme Cutout Sandals by Christian Dior. However after staring at them for awhile I've realized I don't actually like them, per se, then it hit me, I 've been duped by some marketing gurus into thinking I like them based on their awesome name ( I'm a sucker for all things "extreme"). Oh well! These extreme-ly high (almost 5 inches) and equally sexy sandals kick off the summer shoe shopping season with a bang. Available in silver or black Nappa leather, they feature and open peep toe and trendy stud detailing. Available for $780 at Neimans!

The always charming Blake Lively from the hit series Gossip Girl had her work cut out for her at a recent Vanity Fair photo shoot. Her day included prancing around in a 33-pound Christian Dior gown! The yellow satin gown dazzled with Swarovski crystals detailing, 6,000 sequins (I counted), and detailed hand stitching. Lively, always a star, rose to the occasion and truly owned the dress, the photos are effortless and pretty. I wonder how much a gown like that would cost, any guesses?

Straight off the runway comes the Dior Jazzclub Handbag Collection. I don't love these bags, but they are definitely unique and worth taking a peek at. Made of lambskin and available in black, beige, white, zebra and leopard, the jazzclub collection is recognizable by its unique large logo-engraved toggle closure and slouchy shape. The hardware is polished silver, which is refreshing after a few seasons of gold. Available on eluxury.com for $1,950.

In 1962, Esquire magazine sent photographer Jerry Schatzberg to Paris to cover the behind-the-scenes action at the Christian Dior and Yves Saint Laurent shows, at what promised to be an historic fashion moment. Indeed it was, and Schatzberg's shoot turned out brilliantly; the full results have finally been collected in book form, under the title Paris 1962: Yves Saint Laurent and Christian Dior, The Early Collections. Schatzberg was no mere paparazzo; a renowned fashion photographer and filmmaker, he's perhaps best known for the cover of Bob Dylan's 1966 album Blonde on Blonde. His journalistic, documentary style ran counter to the usual carefully-posed fashion shoots of the time, which gave the 1962 session added urgency. But first, a little background.

Famed designer Christian Dior had died five years earlier, in 1957. Yves Saint Laurent, only 22 years old at the time, had been named as his replacement, creating a stunning new collection in a matter of weeks. Laurent held the appointment for only a short time, however, as he was soon conscripted to serve in the French army during the Algerian War of Independence. The fragile fashionista lasted less than a month before a nervous breakdown saw him committed to a mental institution. Meanwhile, Marc Bohan had taken over at Dior, leading Saint Laurent to file for breach of contract.

If you've ever felt the need to spend $600 on a pair of jeans you are in luck. Dior designed these "radioactive" men's jeans that are made of 100% cotton, in a dark wash, with a shiny metallic finish. The five pocket cut and button fly appear pretty standard, as does the slightly tapered leg, so my guess is you are paying for the unique silver "radioactive" look, unless they also repel spills.... or are wind resistant, who knows! Available online and in Dior boutiques for $600.

From Dior's Fall 2007 collection, this bag is so unusual and sports so many interesting details it is hard to know where to look first. Let's start with the obvious - the woven fuchsia leather. It's a bold color choice and the elaborate pattern is not your standard basket weave. Moving up to the shoulder straps, your eye is drawn to the graceful serpents perched upon the tortoiseshell frame. As if that weren't splashy enough, the leather shoulder straps themselves are twisted in an elaborate design and almost look like extensions of the serpents. Showcasing the Dior logo is a miniature Louis XVI picture frame hanging from a leather strap. Inside, you'll find Dior jacquard lining, a logo tag and a 7 inch zip pocket. With metal feet to protect the base and a pretty snap clasp, this bag is sure to be a must-have for those who can afford the $3900 price tag.

I've mentioned in my previous post on the Perfect Flat that I have a soft spot for shoes that keep me close to the ground. With wedding season in full-swing, I've decided to invest in a pair of shoes that will last me through the entire matrimonial social season.

The trouble, of course, is that I have a rainbow array of dresses to which I must match my kicks. I've got the Maid of Honor dress for my sister's wedding (pale blue), the bridesmaid dress for my best friend's wedding  (bright pink), and the all-purpose-guest-dress for the other four weddings I must attend (lime green).

Finding a pair of shoes to wear with all of these colors is not for the faint of heart. That's why I've got my eye on Christian Dior's Diorantik flat. This Grecian-inspired sandal has snakeskin-print, braided straps and gold metal Dior buckles. But best of all, they match everything. Price: $485.

They are Diorantik, Diorlicious, and Diormatic!