logo
episode-header-image
Dec 2023
1 h

#331 Christian Dior

David Senra
About this episode

What I learned from reading Dior by Dior: The Autobiography of Christian Dior and Creators by Paul Johnson. 

----

Get access to the World’s Most Valuable Notebook for Founders by investing in a subscription to Founders Notes

----

(4:00) The Taste of Luxury: Bernard Arnault and the Moet-Hennessy Louis Vuitton Story by Nadege Forestier and Nazanine Ravai. (Founders #296)

(5:00) Opportunity is a strange beast. It frequently appears after a loss.

(6:00) Dior was a nobody in his forties, with nothing in his design career to suggest genius.

(6:00) When you read biographies of people who've done great work, it's remarkable how much luck is involved. They discover what to work on as a result of a chance meeting, or by reading a book they happen to pick up. So you need to make yourself a big target for luck, and the way to do that is to be curious. Try lots of things, meet lots of people, read lots of books, ask lots of questions.

How To Do Great Work by Paul Graham. (Founders #314)

(7:00) Dior told him: “I am not interested in managing a clothing factory. What you need, and I would like to run, is a craftsman’s workshop, in which we would recruit the very best people in the trade, to reestablish in Paris a salon for the greatest luxury and the highest standards of workmanship. It will cost a great deal of money and entail much risk.”

(8:00) He spat in the face of postwar egalitarian democracy and said, in so many words, “I want to make the rich feel rich again.” His first collection turned out to be the most successful in fashion history.

(18:00) I envisioned my fashion house as a craftsman’s workshop rather than a clothing factory.

(19:00) A fortune teller tells Dior he must do found his fashion house in spite of his fears and doubts: She ordered me sternly to accept the Boussac offer at once. You must create the house of Christian Dior, whatever the conditions, she told me. Nothing anyone will offer you later will compare with the chance which is open to you now.

(22:00) Dior said Balenciaga was "the master of us all" — Balenciaga (Founders #315)

(26:00) Gossip and malicious rumors are worth more than the most expensive publicity campaign in the world.

(29:00) The most passionate adventures of my life have been with my clothes. I am obsessed with them.

(30:00) When asked what was the best asset a man could have, Albert Lasker replied, ‘Humility in the presence of a good idea.’ It is horribly difficult to recognize a good idea. I shudder to think how many I have rejected. Research can’t help you much, because it cannot predict the cumulative value of an idea. — Ogilvy on Advertising by David Ogilvy.

----

Get access to the World’s Most Valuable Notebook for Founders by investing in a subscription to Founders Notes

----

I have listened to every episode released and look forward to every episode that comes out. The only criticism I would have is that after each podcast I usually want to buy the book because I am interested, so my poor wallet suffers.” — Gareth

Be like Gareth. Buy a book: All the books featured on Founders Podcast

Up next
Oct 5
#402 Thomas Peterffy: The $80 Billion Founder Who Automates Everything
I didn’t know who Thomas Peterffy was. I was shocked to learn that he is 81 years old, worth $80 billion dollars, and has built his $120 billion company, Interactive Brokers, into one of the most efficient companies in the world. I discovered Peterffy by reading this incredible p ... Show More
31m 57s
Sep 28
My conversation with Daniel Ek: Founder of Spotify
I started a new show so I can have long-form conversations with the greatest living founders. You can watch on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, X, or the web. The new show is on a separate feed so don't forget to follow David Senra so you don't miss future episodes. Nothing is c ... Show More
2h 9m
Sep 24
#401 How Bill Gates Works
This episode is about Bill Gates' obsessive drive and hardcore work ethic. Bill Gates had the rarest entrepreneurial talent—the ability to see the leverage point in a new industry, seize it with relentless intensity, and *will* Microsoft into one of the most successful companies ... Show More
1h 8m
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2022
Chanel vs Dior | L’homme aux doigts Dior | 3
Héritier d’une famille qui possédait une usine d’engrais malodorants à Granville, en Normandie, le jeune Christian Dior fait ses débuts en tant que dessinateur de mode pour des couturiers parisiens. Et apprend le métier de modéliste auprès du styliste Lucien Lelong.Il se fait vit ... Show More
27m 18s
Feb 2024
TIP609: Fooled by Randomness by Nassim Taleb
On today’s episode, Clay reviews Nassim Taleb’s book – Fooled by Randomness.Nassim Taleb is a Lebanon-born American mathematician and statistician whose work concerns problems of randomness, probability, and uncertainty. He’s very well known for his popular books, including The B ... Show More
1 h
Feb 2024
Arizona Muse on Modelling and Fashion’s Dirty Roots
In 2010, model Arizona Muse was catapulted into the fashion spotlight.  After opening and closing Prada’s Spring/Summer 2011 show, she was signed as a  face of the brand. But after years of the modelling, grind and some serious personal reflection, the British-American model has ... Show More
46m 22s
Feb 2024
The Single Hardest Entrepreneurial Habit | Ep 677
“You can't have any kind of habitual habits or output if the one thing that starts or ends your day is variable.” Today, Alex (@AlexHormozi) emphasizes the importance of maintaining a stable sleep routine for entrepreneurs to optimize their energy levels, make better judgments, a ... Show More
13m 47s
Apr 2023
235 - The Pursuit of Happiness — with Vince Lebon
Vince Lebon is a husband, father, and a curious design collaborator. He founded the experiential footwear brand Rollie Nation, where he has designed for and collaborated with celebrities.In this episode, Vince discusses the importance of pursuing what makes him happy instead of c ... Show More
1h 11m
Feb 2024
⭐ The 5+ Star Challenge ⭐
Send us a textIn Episode 139 of Book Talk, Etc., Tina and Renee share their possible 5+ star reads. They also share what they've been loving lately, their latest reads, and have book talk about trying to find 5-star reads. If you enjoy this episode, be sure to FOLLOW/SUBSCRIBE on ... Show More
1h 4m
Feb 2024
#723: In Case You Missed It: January 2024 Recap of "The Tim Ferriss Show"
This episode is brought to you by 5-Bullet Friday, my very own email newsletter.Welcome to another episode of The Tim Ferriss Show, where it is my job to deconstruct world-class performers to tease out the routines, habits, et cetera that you can apply to your own life. This is a ... Show More
48m 19s
Feb 2024
Ultra-Niche Positioning: How to Find Success By Going SUPER Narrow
I’m so f*cking happy to announce that ​my book, Stand The F*ck Out, is officially available for PURCHASE​! To buy the book—and more!—DIRECTLY from us and support our small business, go to: https://book.stfo.ioFree Shipping Worldwide • Ripped Apart by 70+ Marketers • Money-Back Gu ... Show More
57m 59s
Sep 12
Rep. Deborah Wasserman Schultz Talks Security
Rep. Deborah Wasserman Schultz (D) Florida speaks on the death of Charlie Kirk and how public figures are thinking about their own safety. Plus the growing epidemic of political violence. She speaks with Bloomberg's Joe MathieuSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
8 m