Dior has tapped Haitian-American artist Patrick Eugène to reinterpret the brand’s iconic Lady Dior bag for its 10th anniversary edition. dior lady art initiative.
For ten years, the project has invited artists from around the world to transform classic bags into works of art. Eugene is one of only two American artists selected among ten international participants for this landmark edition, which will debut at Art Basel in Paris later this month before being available in Dior boutiques worldwide.
Eugène’s version of Lady Dior draws on his Haitian roots, incorporating leather and textile panels, wood beads, fringe, raffia embroidery and straw. One standout design features woven leather side panels inlaid with pearls, a nod to Haiti’s historical nickname, “The Pearl of the Antilles.” Pearls, a long-standing symbol of purity and sophistication in Dior’s visual language, are reimagined here as a symbol of endurance and heritage.
Eugene, who lives in Atlanta, sees the bag as a “moving canvas,” an extension of his portraiture practice that explores identity, lineage, and resilience. Following its debut in Paris, his collaboration will host a special event during Art Basel in Miami Beach in December.
Eugene’s work has been exhibited in the United States and abroad and is held in private and institutional collections. His last solo exhibition, Lonelywith Marianne Ibrahim, Paris. The gallery also gave Eugene a solo booth at Frieze Los Angeles earlier this year.
