Dior Celebrates the Newest Members of Its Women@Dior Program

Dior Celebrates the Newest Members of Its Women@Dior Program

Just a few weeks ago Maria Grazia Chirui, artistic director of Christian Dior, debuted the latest of her socially-minded designs, a collection of sisterhood t-shirts. “Sisterhood Is Powerful,” “Sisterhood Is Global,” and “Sisterhood Is Forever,” were emblazoned on the classic white tees Chirui sent down the runway. The shirts' mantra then made its way to New York, to the Public Hotel’s The Roof, where Dior launched the third annual Women@Dior program Thursday night.

Sisterhood was the topic of the evening, but men were not forgotten! Headed by Dior’s president, Renaud De Lesquen, and their SVP of human resources, Emmanuelle Favre, Women@Dior matches mentees (female students of medicine, fashion, business, and engineering) with female and male Dior mentors (the program was previously limited to women-only mentors) for one full academic year. While the 2019 program is based in New York, the growing network of participants is expected to reach 400, across 10 cities including, Paris, Shanghai, London, and Seoul.

“It’s our responsibility as a couture and perfume company to participate, to give back to the community, and to be a role model,” said Favre.

An impressive panel of feminists including Marléne Schiappa, Asa Charlotte Regnér, Barbra Katz, Sue Allchurch, and Jessica Neuwirth welcomed this year's class of eager mentees in the scenic setting. The limitless 360-degree view of Manhattan offered the perfect backdrop for the evening's empowering panel conversations, dedicated to pushing the boundaries of gender equality in the workplace.

Following the panel, attendees celebrated the start of the 2019 program with champagne, charcuterie, and chocolate chip cookies. And everyone did not leave empty-handed; the copy of Robin Morgan’s Sisterhood is Forever left on each chair was later revealed to be the program’s first homework assignment, a powerful read for all.