Dior illustrates the constant back-and-forth between heritage and modernity, up to the return in 2025 of the lettering chosen by Christian Dior himself in 1946.
The typefaces
In 1946, Christian Dior adopted a lettering inspired by Cochin, a typeface named after the 18th-century French engraver Charles-Nicolas Cochin. Under the artistic direction of Maria Grazia Chiuri, from 2016 to 2025, the house used a serif lettering in capitals. In 2025, Jonathan Anderson returned to Cochin, with a capital D followed by lowercase letters, redrawn from wooden blocks found in the archives.
The system
The typography fits into a highly codified world: dove grey, the CD monogram and the editorial layouts specific to fashion. The new logotype appeared quietly on the labels of the spring-summer 2026 menswear collection before being announced publicly.
Why it works
Cochin evokes 18th-century French elegance, engraving and finesse of line. Moving from capitals to lowercase makes the signature more intimate, closer to handwriting. Drawing on the archives gives the change a legitimacy that a simple modernisation would not have.