Ever wondered how the top 1% shops? Tucked away on a quiet street in Paris’s 7th arrondissement, spread across four floors, is one of haute couture’s best-kept secrets: Villa Dior.
Launched less than ten years ago, the concept is straightforward: it’s a private space where Dior’s most important clients can view, try on, and order from the collections while experiencing the highest level of hospitality the house offers.
Villa Dior opens twice a year for the haute couture collections in January and July, and three times a year for the fine jewelry and watch collections in January, May, and October. The same venue also showcases the brand’s full range during ready-to-wear seasons, including made-to-measure pieces from Dior Homme and special items from Baby Dior. The concept also travels to key markets, with a pop-up planned for Suzhou, China this March.
I entered the villa on a Tuesday afternoon, the day after Jonathan Anderson’s couture debut for Dior, through the client entrance. Walking along a charming garden path, I passed two small glass houses. To my left was a 22-seat café, where a few impeccably dressed families—complete with children and nannies—were having lunch. To my right, a glass house had been transformed into a miniature chocolate patisserie, with another 50-seat café on the ground floor. All are curated by chef Yannick Alléno, who also runs the Monsieur Dior restaurant in Dior’s flagship boutique on Avenue Montaigne.
This marks the first time a journalist has been allowed inside Villa Dior during operating hours, as the brand is highly protective of its clients’ experience. It’s also the first opening under the creative direction of Jonathan Anderson.
“Jonathan’s first haute couture show was the perfect opportunity to transform the Villa into a new realm of dreams for a few days, highlighting the extraordinary skill of our ateliers. It felt natural to extend the emotions of the show by inviting our clients and friends of the house to enjoy exclusive experiences and get close to Jonathan’s creations,” said Delphine Arnault, Chairman and CEO of Christian Dior Couture.
Anderson has expressed his desire to make couture more accessible to the public. Additional haute couture pieces he designed for this collection are on display at the Musée Rodin for the next week, alongside designs by Christian Dior and works by ceramicist Magdalene Odundo, as part of the public exhibition “Grammaire des Formes” (Grammar of Forms).
“In a way, the exhibition reveals the creative thinking behind the project, drawing connections and emphasizing a shared dedication to innovation in form, craftsmanship, and new definitions of beauty across art forms. It’s important to me that the exhibition is open to everyone—this turns the exclusivity of couture on its head and allows the public to appreciate its fine craftsmanship up close,” Anderson explained.
The house has also announced partnerships with the prestigious fashion school IFM, as well as high schools and primary schools across Paris. “Jonathan’s creative passion has inspired each event in this program, which includes lectures and an activity book for both children and adults. The exhibition aims to demystify couture and inspire the next generation to carry its legacy forward.”Look 49 from the Christian Dior Spring 2026 Couture collection: a long shawl-collar coat in fluffy gray and ecru tweed with open gathers at the back, recalling the ‘Champ de course’ design from Spring/Summer 1948. Shown at Villa Dior (left) and on the runway (right).
Photo: Kristen Pelou, Daniele Oberrauch/ Gorunway.com
The first thing I see inside the building, safely displayed in a glass case, is look number three from the Spring 2026 Couture collection—a long orange silk georgette dress, hand-pleated and twisted to evoke the sculptures of Odundo. All 63 looks from the collection are housed in Villa Dior.
The place is bustling. Women of all ages fill the ground floor, which is dedicated to the clothing, gently touching the pieces while chatting eagerly with each other and their hosts. From the moment you arrive until you leave, you are accompanied by a member of the client team. Security guards stand at the entrances, and assistants carefully but swiftly remove pieces from their stands or return them.
My host mentions that while his schedule usually allows some flexibility, this time he is fully booked with no cancellations. It’s an especially exciting period for the Dior teams; they have been tasked with bringing a new creative vision to life. Moreover, for the first time in the brand’s history, this haute couture collection includes accessories, which means the possibilities for offering clients a complete look are endless.
Accessories take over the first floor. There are bags in new shapes as well as classic models like the Lady Dior, all with unlimited customization options. Also on display are 57 unique pieces made from 18th-century fabrics sourced by Anderson. “I believe haute couture can extend beyond clothing to include bags as a fully realized couture expression, as long as they are conceived with the same prominence, intention, and technical ambition. We explored a variety of shapes, materials, and crafts for this collection,” said Anderson.
Then there is jewelry made from meteorites and fossils, charms inspired by each dress in the collection, and shoes crafted from yarn, silk cyclamen petals, and the same upcycled 18th-century fabrics used for some of the bags.
The few sections of wall not adorned with extraordinary fashion pieces feature paintings, also chosen by the designer. In fact, everything in the space has been selected by him—from the wall colors and furniture to the antique carpets and even the glass display cases.
Within two hours after the show, a team including Anderson transported all the couture looks from the show venue to the villa and set them up just in time for the following cocktail party. At the event, the creative director mingled and chatted with clients, who, as we know, value nothing more than face time with the designer as a way to connect with the brand.
“Our clients, regardless of their generation, are deeply attached to our codes, so they greatly appreciate Jonathan’s talent for elevating and modernizing them while paying tribute and showcasing the savoir-faire that brought them to life. Jonathan has immense respect for our ateliers, which he knows, better than anyone, are the best in the world. He is acutely aware that haute couture can only continue to exist if it is actually created and if its savoir-faire is passed on,” commented Arnault.
Anderson’s couture occupies the ground and first floors, while the second floor is reserved for Victoire de Castellane’s haute joaillerie and horlogerie creations. Sketches of jewelry from older collections line the corridors leading to small rooms containing millions of dollars’ worth of gemstones and diamonds, set into bracelets, tiaras, rings, necklaces, and watches. Castellane’s latest collection for Dior, called Belle Dior, consists of 57 unique pieces. A personal favorite was a matching necklace, ring, and earrings set feat…Under moons and stars crafted from yellow diamonds and black opal, a design inspired by the founder’s own fascination with divination. Inside, all curtains remain drawn as a security measure, while around each turn of the maze-like floor, private client suites allow VICs to shop in peace. The couture suites on the third floor are, as expected, considerably more spacious—though I couldn’t sneak a look, as they were fully booked.
On my way out, I’m given two bags of exquisite chocolates from the glasshouse patisserie. It’s a fascinating moment for fashion: macroeconomic challenges abound, and last year’s creative reset was the industry’s bold attempt to navigate them. In that spirit, it’s heartening to see newly appointed creative directors like Anderson reimagining and expanding the boundaries of luxury. And it’s also a lot of fun.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about Inside Villa Dior The Couture Worlds BestKept Secret designed to sound like questions from a real person
General Beginner Questions
Q What is Inside Villa Dior
A Its a documentary or immersive experience that takes viewers behind the scenes of Diors exclusive invitationonly couture shows which are held at a private mansion in Paris
Q Where is the Villa Dior
A Its a historic private mansion located at 11 Rue Franois 1er in Paris which Dior uses as its secretive headquarters for presenting its most exclusive haute couture collections
Q Is this a movie a show or a real place
A Its all three The Villa is a very real physical place Inside Villa Dior is typically the name of a documentary film or series that explores it
Q Why is it called a bestkept secret
A Because for decades only a select group of clients editors and celebrities were invited to see the couture collections there The general public never saw the intimate process or the stunning location
Q Can anyone visit the Villa Dior
A No it is not open to the public Access is strictly by invitation only for couture clients and special events
Content Experience Questions
Q What will I actually see in the documentary
A Youll see the meticulous work of the petites mains the fitting process for clients the creative direction and the breathtakingly intimate fashion show held inside the villas luxurious rooms and garden
Q Whats the difference between seeing a Dior show here versus a big runway show
A A big runway is a largescale spectacle At the Villa its an ultraexclusive quiet and personal presentation Garments are often presented onebyone almost like living art in a home setting
Q Does it focus on current designers or the history of Dior
A It usually focuses on the contemporary couture process under a specific Creative Director but it always pays homage to the heritage and legacy of Christian Dior himself
Q Will I learn about how much couture costs
A While