Bohan, Marc (My link with CD)

Bohan, Marc (1926– ), French fashion designer. Born in Paris, Bohan began his career in fashion in 1945 as an assistant at the fashion house of Piguet, before moving to Molyneux, and then finally to Patou. In 1958 he joined the House of Christian Dior and was sent to London as head of its English operation. He returned to Paris two years later as Dior’s artistic director, following the departure of Yves Saint Laurent. After 32 years with Dior, Bohan was briefly the artistic director at the British couture house of Norman Hartnell (1990 to 1992).

Bohan is known for refined, romantic clothes, soft prints, and flattering colours, and is celebrated for his elegant ball gowns in opulent fabrics. He achieved great success in the 1960s by capturing the spirit of pop fashion for the haute couture market and by creating youthful lines of clothing, such as Dior Sport, for the ready-to-wear line. Bohan explored ethnic styles of fashion and in 1966 produced an influential collection featuring fur-trimmed garments and swirling skirts and dresses based on the popular film Doctor Zhivago.