Cordelia de Castellane – Artistic Director of Dior Maison and Baby Dior

By Katia Kulawick-Assante

Artistic Director of Dior Maison and Baby Dior, as well as the Paris Society hospitality group, Cordelia de Castellane scatters her floral and colourful, maximalist and romantic designs. Inspired by 19th-century decorative trends, antiques and other objects with a history, she has breathed new life into some of Paris’ most iconic locations and opened her own Flower Coffee Shop on the Left Bank. We caught up with her to find out more.

What is your connection to Paris?

I grew up between the mountains and Paris. Paris has always been a very important part of my life. I’m a true Parisian, even though I carry within me this duality of being a real little Heidi – or a country girl – because of my affinities. When I spend too much time in nature, I miss Paris. Its beauty, its atmosphere, its streets, its passers-by, because I love watching Parisians. It’s one of the most beautiful cities in the world, the city of dreams, always inspiring. It remains my home base.

What is a day with Cordelia de Castellane in Paris like?

I am incredibly lucky. I live near Saint-Germain-des-Prés and walk through the Tuileries every day, which is rather pleasant! Every morning, I walk to the office on Avenue Montaigne with my dog. I love having breakfast in a café – I never have it at home. The walk from Saint-Germain to Avenue Montaigne, crossing between the two banks of the river, is magnificent, and crossing the bridges is magical. And then there are the colours: Parisian grey, twilight blue and, from time to time, roses, which are very inspiring. In fact, these were Monsieur Dior’s colours, the ones he used in his colour chart, so they mean a lot to me. At Dior, I am immersed in an extremely Parisian world. I spend my days working on the Dior Maison and Baby Dior collections until 4 or 5 p.m. Then I move on to my personal projects: I go to my design studio, visit a construction site or attend a series of meetings.

What does the House of Dior mean to you? Is it a family affair, given that your cousin, Victoire de Castellane, is the artistic director of Dior Joaillerie?

Victoire has been working at Dior for 27 years and I’ve been here for 15, but I have to say it’s pure coincidence. We must have personalities that appeal to Dior, a magnificent house for which we are very happy to work.

It’s true that my life in Paris revolves around Dior and everything my job entails. I particularly enjoy researching in libraries. I’m thinking of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs with its extraordinary library overlooking the Tuileries, founded in 1864, a landmark with over 350,000 documents. We’re lucky to have so many archives in Paris.

Do you like spending time in Parisian cultural venues?

Enormously. I love researching in libraries, I’m quite studious and I like to start new projects with real foundations. You can tell any crazy story thanks to your imagination, but for me, there always has to be something that connects us to the history of art, the country, cultures.

And do you like Parisian cafés?

Actually, I’m a bit of a loner, so when I’m in a city, it can be a bit hard for me because the noise isn’t easy to deal with. But strangely enough, I love going to cafés at quiet times, especially on the first floor of Le Flore. I love working up there. If you can’t find me, that’s where I am (laughs)… I find it very difficult to work sitting at a desk. Of course, I do my meetings, research and liaise with my studios there, but when I need to concentrate, there’s nothing like the atmosphere of a Parisian café.

Tell us about Cordelia Coffee Flower Shop, at 14 Rue du Bac, your flower shop and tea room.

It’s my world, my DNA. I’m passionate about botany. I grow flowers in my own garden in the Oise region, and I wanted to inspire people to plant their own little seeds in life – whatever they may be – and enjoy the harvest. It’s the very agricultural idea of botany that interests me. That’s the story I tell in this coffee shop, which focuses on short supply chains and seasonality. I sell flowers and plants from my garden, but that’s not all: I also select exceptional plants from French producers. We have rare flowers, bright peony tulips… The big news is that the place is being renovated this summer and we’ll be reopening in September with a proper restaurant, serving lunch, dinner and afternoon tea, all orchestrated by my son, who is the chef and pastry chef. So I’m sure people will be able to enjoy some delicious food!

Your passion for botany is something you have in common with Monsieur Dior…

Indeed, he was truly passionate, raised on his mother’s Vilmorin catalogues and crazy about his garden. He needed nature as much as I do, which is why I say that I get on well with his ghost – we talk a lot (laughs). It’s a strong bond between us.

In any case, he has been a great inspiration to me during my 15 years at Dior.

You’ve just signed a new book, ‘Du jardin à la maison’ (From the Garden to the Home, published by Rizzoli), which is about gardening, floral art and decoration. Tell us more about it.

My garden is my laboratory, where everything begins: the drawings that will end up in the prints, the design of the glasses for Dior Maison, the textiles… In fact, everything is inspired by this garden. In this book, I wanted to tell the story of my creative process, how I play with flowers, how I compose my bouquets or table decorations, using vintage elements – because they are one of my sources of inspiration – and simplicity.

You are also artistic director of the Paris Society group. Tell us about the addresses you have designed for the group.

There’s Café Lapérouse at the Hôtel de la Marine, Chez Laurent, an institution… One of my first projects was the Abbaye des Vaux de Cernay, 12,000 square metres. The abbey was a sleeping beauty, it was completely magical.

I tried to restore it in an almost invisible way, which is what I like to do. I like people not to see my work, to leave the impression that everything has always been there… I must admit I’m addicted to old buildings!

You also redesigned the interior of the Ladurée patisserie on Rue Royale…

The aesthetic codes were already there: I started with the company’s archives. Few people know this, but Ladurée’s original address on Rue Royale was a bakery, founded in 1862. I redrew designs in the spirit of the 18th century, which now adorn the walls with all the ingredients found in today’s macarons, in the style of the frescoes of yesteryear.

A word about the Marta rooftop at the Fouquet’s hotel on the Champs-Elysées?

We created a pretty little boudoir, a hanging garden around Pierre Gagnaire’s kitchen. It’s a pop-up terrace with a floral setting decorated with curtains, cushions and parasols. I designed the prints, the seats, etc.

And the bar at the Raphaël Hotel on Avenue Kléber?

The restoration of the hotel’s Boudoir was very subtle because the bar is a historic and iconic place. We freshened up the space, but there are no major changes. The hotel is closed for renovation and will reopen in 2026.

You designed the cover of Bottin Mondain this year. How did that project come about?

The team asked me to think about a project and they liked this floral print called Rochecotte. It reminded me of my childhood because my mum used to collect Bottin Mondain and I used it a lot to… press my flowers!

The idea made me smile, which is why I covered it with flowers.

Do you design all your textiles and prints?

I do some of them, but it’s a team effort, I don’t take all the credit. I always say you have to surround yourself with people who are more talented than you! Firstly, I wouldn’t have time, and secondly, my role is to give the go-ahead and set the guidelines.

What is your next project in Paris?

The interior design of a beautiful 5-star mansion in Saint-Germain, which will open in early 2027 on Rue Cassette. It’s a gem with 50 rooms.

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©Black & White photos: ©Dior Maison