September 22, 2020
Dior is supporting the foundation established by ambassador Charlize Theron. Image courtesy of Dior
French fashion house Christian Dior is celebrating ambitious women in a series of filmed portraits which allow them to share their unique journeys.
Led by longtime Dior ambassador Charlize Theron, the 11 women featured in #DiorStandsWithWomen #DiorChinUp include actors, models, scientists and artists. Dior often centers femininity around strength, courage and self-affirmation, and these women share intimate details about their experiences.
“Luxury brands don’t sell to the affluent; they match values,” said Chris Ramey, founder/CEO of Affluent Insights.
Chin Up
Some of the women joining Ms. Theron in this Dior Parfums campaign include Professor Marina Cavazzana, a pediatric doctor in Paris; actor and model Cara Delevingne; actor Li Bingbing; photographer Pamela Tulizo and Carole Biancalana, who produces the flowers Dior uses in its own fragrances.
Since the women hail from different countries and disciplines, they remain relatable to a large audience despite their success.
Ms. Theron appears in a minute-long film explaining the project, which Dior is promoting with the hashtags #DiorStandsWithWomen and #DiorChinUp.
“Throughout the many years I have been working with the house of Dior, I have had the opportunity to meet many extraordinary and engaged women,” Ms. Theron says. “They are all driven by the same, unique spirit — all ‘Chin Up’ women, powerful and impactful, proud of who they are, proud of what they’ve accomplished.
“They have all strived to have an impact on the world and they have used their voices to inspire other women,” she continues. “They have all joined me in passing on the sense of purpose through a case very dear to my heart, that Dior has supported for many years.”
Dior ambassador Charlize Theron introduces #DiorStandsWithWomen and #DiorChinUp
The South African native elaborates that Dior is furthering its support of the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project (CTAOP), which she established in 2007. CTAOP’s projects include the Youth Leaders Scholarship Program to support the educations of future leaders.
“Clients and prospects are attracted to actresses when they’re theoretically not acting,” Mr. Ramey said. “Sharing a bit of themselves while elevating the gender creates an attractive bond between all involved.”
Each Chin Up women appears in her own filmed portrait to discuss her views on womanhood, career and more. Each film is about two minutes long.
“Being a woman is about being myself in all circumstances in life, not compromising, defending my ideas, even when it comes at a cost,” says Pr. Cavazzana in her film.
The doctor explains that while women make up the majority of the workforce at her hospital, there are fewer women in leadership positions. She was part of a group that condemned this underrepresentation in decision-making roles and serves as a mentor to other women.
“The advice that I can offer women is to go for it, to never hold back and to think carefully about what you want to do,” Pr. Cavazzana says. “And not to be poisoned by what others say, by all that background noise.”
Actor Yalitza Aparicio speaks about her work as UNESCO ambassador representing indigenous communities in her native Mexico. She also talks about pay equality and her hopes for the next generation.
Left to right: Yalitza Aparicio, Pamela Tulizo and Goldshifteh Farahani are some of the women featured in the new Dior Parfums effort. Images courtesy of Dior
“We should not deny who we are in order to be accepted in society, because society must adapt to our diversity,” Ms. Aparicio says.
Ms. Delevingne, another longtime ambassador for Dior, discusses how she been guided by her curiosity throughout her career. She also shares her belief that vulnerability and honesty make women stronger.
In her filmed portrait, Ms. Biancalana explains how she established herself in a field traditionally dominated by men. This led her to eventually work with Dior Parfums, and now she continues to encourage other women to enter the industry.
Dior and women
Christian Dior often looks to elevate women in creative campaigns, often while exploring themes of freedom and self-expression.
Dior’s fall/winter 2018 campaign centered on the short film, “A Story of Women,” which follows a group of young women in Paris. Instead of sharing a narrative, nonlinear vignettes capture moments of friendship, drama and mystery.
No men were included in the video, putting the focus solely on the women and their interactions with each other. The vignettes touch on friendship, love, daydreams, mystery, drama and more (see story).
In 2019, Dior took a feminine approach to its recurring Lady Dior Art campaign, choosing only to collaborate with women artists this time around.
In each iteration, Dior asks creatives to conceive their own versions of the iconic Lady Dior top-handle handbag. In a move emphasizing creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri’s commitment to bringing feminism to fashion, the label enlisted solely women artists for this campaign (see story).
“Luxury can be counterintuitive; being inclusive and purposeful elevates Dior’s exclusivity and creates brand desire,” Mr. Ramey said.
Share your thoughts. Click here
