Christian Dior was a French designer and founder of Dior, one of the best known fashion houses in the world today. Fashion greats like Yves Saint Laurent, Gianfranco Ferre, and John Galliano have led the house in addition to creating powerhouse brands of their own.

Dior is credited with pioneering licensing in the fashion business - a method which spread his brand like none other had previously.

Christion Dior came from a family who made its fortune in fertilizer manufacturing. At the behest of his parents, who wanted him to be a diplomat, he studied political science in school, but never pursued it as a profession.http://www.infomat.com/whoswho/christiandior.html

After a stint in the military and some years of wandering, which included a brief time as an art gallery owner, Dior finally took on fashion. He started selling sketches of his designs and had some success as a hat designer. He worked as a sketch artist for other designers for a few years. Dior produced his first collection in 1947 at the age of 42. He is credited for creating the "New Look" of the 1940s, which featured rounded shoulders, cinched waists, and full skirts. His collections were notably opulent in contrast with the devastation and poverty of post-war France. Notably, U.S. and U.K. governments discouraged the designer's style of dress because they believed it used too much fabric.http://www.fashion-era.com/utility_clothing.htm#New%20Times,%20New%20Look

In 1953 Dior hired Yves Saint Laurent as an assistant. Laurent would take over the brand when Dior died suddenly in '57. Before then, however, the house became the most influential of its period. The designer was known for creating voluptuous silhouettes, including the H-line of '54 and the A and Y lines of '55.

There's a rumor that Dior died of a heart attack after sex.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Dior