From 1958 to 1960, French fashion designer Marc Bohan designed for the Christian Dior, London line. In September 1960, Dior’s creative director Yves Saint Laurent was called up for military service; Bohan was promoted to replace him.
His deceptively simple, elegant designs drew their inspiration from the 1920s, and rejected the extremes of contemporary fashion. One notable collection in 1966 was inspired by the Russian style of Doctor Zhivago.
Bohan’s classic pieces are now found in museum collections around the world. In 2009, the Musee Christian Dior at Granville held a major Bohan retrospective. In 1989, Bohan left Dior, before joining for the house of Norman Hartnell in London, where he worked for the label until 1992. Bohan has since designed under his own name.
These stunning photos captured portraits of classic beauties in fashion designs by Marc Bohan for Christian Dior in the 1960s.
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| Dior creative director Marc Bohan with models from his first collection (Spring-Summer 1961), photo by Mark Shaw, 1961 |
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| Carla Marlier in rust suede suit, jacket is loosely belted over navy shantung blouse by Dior, photo by Guy Arsac, 1960 |
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| Nena von Schlebrugge in flame-red silk ottoman gown by Marc Bohan for Dior, and necklace made up of Aurora Borealis crystals from Swarovsky, photo by Claude Virgin, Vogue UK, October 1960 |
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| Denise Sarrault in bottlegreen velvet sheath belted in green satin and worn with fur trimmed jacket by Marc Bohan for Christian Dior, Paris, 1961 |
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| Dorothea McGowan in blazing paisley brocade theatre suit in reds and oranges, with sable cuffs and collar by Marc Bohan for Dior, photo by Irving Penn, November 1, 1961 |
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| Dorothea McGowan in long, narrow orange velvet dress topped with magnificent jacket of iridescent beads and sable, by Marc Bohan for Dior, coiffure by Guillaume, Kislav gloves, photo by Irving Penn, Vogue, November 1, 1961 |
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| Model in orange wool coat by Marc Bohan for Christian Dior, grey kid gloves completes the look, photo by Georges Saad, 1961 |
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| Muriel is wearing blue wool dress, cap and sheared beaver scarf by Marc Bohan for Dior, photo by Mark Shaw, 1961 |
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| Trim little hoods with capes or short coats, hood at left is lined with ocelot, hood in center lined with nutria and tweed bow trims hood on right, all by Marc Bohan for Dior, photo by Mark Shaw, 1961 |
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| Jean Newington in heart-of-lettuce green wool suit with velvet curved collar worn with a yellow brimmed Panama by Marc Bohan for Christian Dior, photo by William Klein, Vogue, March 15, 1962 |
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| Model in foreground in evening gown of pale green chiffon embroidered in gold by Marc Bohan for Christian Dior, model in background in pale green chiffon by Nina Ricci, photo by Roland de Vassal, 1962 |
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| Model in green linen dress, blouson bodice is belted, worn with wide-brimmed pink straw hat, by Marc Bohan for Christian Dior, photo by Philippe Pottier, 1962 |
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| Model in green wool suit with double-breasted jacket and double-button skirt, by Marc Bohan for Christian Dior, photo by Philippe Pottier, 1962 |
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| Model in silk print dress with cape-jacket by Marc Bohan for Christian Dior, photo by Verroust, 1962 |
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| Model in summer ensemble, skirt, top and short-sleeved jacket of coral linen by Marc Bohan for Christian Dior, photo by Philippe Pottier, 1962 |
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| Jean Shrimpton in pale pink crêpe de chine evening dress by Christian Dior, photo by Iriving Penn, Vogue US, November 1, 1963 |
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| Maggi Eckardt in red wool suit with wide revers that turn back to show navy waffled silk blouse with navy silk topee hat, by Marc Bohan for Dior, photo by Richard Dormer, Harper's Bazaar UK, March 1963 |
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| Antonia in narrow dress of bias pink and white silk faille with camelia at the neck by Marc Bohan for Dior, coiffure by Alexandre, photo by William Klein, Vogue, April 1, 1964 |
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| Benedetta Barzini in jacketed dress in navy blue and white plaid over stripes of silk twill by Marc Bohan for Dior, worn with shina straw hat and lapis earrings, photo by William Klein, Vogue, April 1, 1964 |
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| Maggi Eckardt in resplendent costume of deep purple jacket and skirt over a vermillion pailletted sweater by Marc Bohan for Dior, coiffure by Alexandre, photo by Richard Avedon, Harper's Bazaar, October 1964 |
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| Model in bold, bright blue houndstooth coat over blue slim skirt by Marc Bohan for Dior, Spring Collection of 1964 |
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| Sophia Loren in Dior sitting in front of a mural in her villa, photo by Alfred Eisenstaedt, Rome, Italy, June 1964 |
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| Tilly Tizzani in evening bolero encrusted with blossoms of magenta and green sequins on a latticework of silver and gold jewels over sheath of absinthe-green silk gazar by Marc Bohan for Dior, photo by Hiro, Harper's Bazaar, April 1964 |
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| Antonia and model in gowns with bead-sprinkled tops ruffles at the hem aubergine satin at the waist in mint green and white silk organza by Marc Bohan for Dior, photo by David Montgomery, Harper's Bazaar UK, March 1965 |
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| Antonia and model in whirling dresses of Turneresque mousseline fringed in osprey dyed to match by Marc Bohan for Dior, coiffures by Roger of Vidal Sassoon, photo by David Montgomery, Harper's Bazaar UK, March 1965 |
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| Katherine Pastrie in evening coat by Dior, in front of image of "Jurisprudence" by Gustav Klimt, Paris, Vogue, 1965 |
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| Veruschka in fluid folds of light-weight tissue brocade in emerald and gold with heavy gold embroidery at the cuffs by Marc Bohan for Dior, coiffure by Alexandre, photo by Irving Penn, Vogue, November 1, 1965 |
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| Beate Schulz in ravishing theatre dress in rose-pink crêpe de chine and a narrow clutch cape rimmed with huge cabbage roses by Marc Bohan for Dior, photo by James Moore, Harper's Bazaar UK, March 1966 |
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| Editha Dussler in green Marescot lace jibba with tracery of green sequins all over, green and gold beads braid the neckline by Dior, coiffure by Carita, photo by Irving Penn, Vogue, September 15, 1966 |
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| Maggi Eckardt and Agneta Darin wearing billowing chiffon pantaloons in swirling colors by Marc Bohan for Dior, photo by James Moore, Harper's Bazaar UK, March 1966 |
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| Sophia Loren dressed by Marc Bohan for Christian Dior in the film "Arabesque", 1966 |
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| Benedetta Barzini in brown linen harness-dress by Christian Dior-New York, photo by Richard Avedon, Vogue, April 1, 1967 |
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| Model in flirty violet sheer coat of chiffon trimmed with ostrich plumes over matching sleeveless silk surah dress by Dior, earrings by Charles Elkaim, photo by Neal Barr, Harper's Bazaar, March 1967 |
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| Ann Turkel in flame-dyed mink coat with smoky black streaks going round from small rolled collar to just below the knee by Christian Dior Furs, photo by Irving Penn, Vogue, August 15, 1968 |
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| Birgitta af Klercker in perfect clear sky-blue tunic over pants, jewel banded at throat and wrists with a jeweled belt by Christian Dior-New York, photo by Irving Penn, Vogue, September 1, 1968 |
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| Cathee Dahmen in swirling red and white chiffon evening dress, the hem and sleeves circled with red and white ostrich feathers by Marc Bohan for Dior, photo by Neal Barr, Harper's Bazaar, April 1968 |
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| Model is wearing a lovely printed mousseline dress, the sleeves fan out and the waist is belted, the straw hat is decorated with flowers of the same color scheme as the dress, by Marc Bohan for Dior, photo by Patrick Bertrand, 1968 |
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| Sue Murray is wearing red organza dress belted in purple by Marc Bohan for Christian Dior, photo by David Bailey for Vogue, 1968 |
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| Twiggy in a Romany-red organdie dress with long gypsy sleeves and a purple turban, its long streamers flying loose by Marc Bohan for Dior, photo by Richard Avedon, Vogue, March 15, 1968 |
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| Margrit Ramme in Dior coat dress with a violet chiffon scarf and big floppy grey hat by Mr. John, photo by Alexis Waldeck, Vogue, August 15, 1969 |