[DLA] Artist Michaela Yearwood-Dan reinvents the Lady Dior, an invitation to her powerful yet delicate universe

Welcome to the Dior Talks podcast series dedicated to the eighth edition of Dior Lady Art, hosted by Paris-based journalist Katya Foreman. For this highly-anticipated edition, 12 artists from around the world were invited to transform the iconic Lady Dior handbag into a unique piece of art. 

Known for her colorful, lush, light and airy botanical paintings, our latest guest artist, Michaela Yearwood-Dan, much like Monsieur Dior in his time, has a passion for flora and fauna. Through her visually striking abstract works, the multifaceted British artist questions norms and celebrates singularities, recounting the present through a reading of the past.

Switching scales, for Dior Lady Art, the London-based artist wanted to immortalize a site-specific curved mural she made in 2022 for a new LGBTQ+ art hub created by Queercircle, London. Titled “Let Me Hold You”, the monumental work, which covered the entire space, symbolized holding the community, creating a sense of sanctuary for visitors. 

Playing with texture, patterning, fabrics and beading, and incorporating her signature collage technique, the artist transposed parts of the mural onto two unprecedented versions of the Lady Dior handbag. Using Dior savoir-faire of excellence, precious embroideries reproduce the

effects of materials adorning the artist’s paintings, including ceramic pansy petals reinterpreted as metal adornments punctuating one of the exceptional models in a poetic deep blue shade. The emblematic ‘D.I.O.R.’ charms are in turn revisited, sometimes in deep black, sometimes embellished with a leaf. Odes to the beauty of gestures play out in a powerful yet delicate universe imbued with messages of love and acceptance. 

Tune in to the episode to learn more about the artist’s fascinating world. 

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