Marc Bohan, who has died aged 97, was the last survivor of the classical era of French couture, a discreet designer content to offer customised perfection to a few thousand clients a year. From 1960 to 1988 he was chief creator at the great house of Christian Dior, and his consistent inventiveness sustained its customer base and fame, which attracted licensing deals for accessories and other merchandise that brought in 80% of Dior revenues.
Named-couturier perfumes had sold well since Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel marketed her first in 1921, but the House of Dior went far beyond this in 1950, just four years after its founding, adding furs and nylon stockings, eventually franchising more than 150 lines.
