Christian Dior had a long and strong relationship with the Palace of Versailles, using it as inspiration for both his designs and his Avenue Montaigne salon.
Now, Victoire de Castellane’s new collection for Dior titled “Pièces Secrètes” reveals an unseen Versailles, composed of hidden doorways, secret corridors between the king’s bedroom and that of his mistress, and concealed drawers filled with precious objects and letters.
Pièces Secrètes
“I was imagining the spirit and the atmosphere of these secret places you don’t know about, and the romance of [experiencing them]. There’s this idea of little hidden things and the ghosts of the past,” De Castellane explained, pointing out a gold-and-diamond ring that flips open to reveal a tiny skull inside. “It’s like an apparition. When it’s closed, you wouldn’t know it’s there.” Similarly, a ruby teardrop pendant opened to reveal a diamond-encrusted skull inside, and if you looked closely at a deep blue tourmaline cocktail ring, you could make out an engraved skull just beneath it. “It looks like it’s underwater.”
The inner sanctum of the château is where the stories and the passion behind these narrative and playful pieces unfolds: precious rotating stones, hidden drawers and miniature chests hide symbols including the sun, the clover, the bow and the heart, all relating to Monsieur Dior’s world.
