Dior Saddle and Lady Dior

Reading Dior's date codes, the Christian Dior Paris tag, cannage stitching and the D.I.O.R. charms.

These guides describe what reputable authenticators and the houses themselves have published. They are a starting point for reading a piece, not a verdict. Counterfeits change quickly, and no single feature proves a piece genuine. For any significant purchase or sale, use a professional authenticator.

The Lady Dior began in 1995 and took its name after Diana, Princess of Wales carried it; its cannage quilting comes from the Napoleon III chairs Christian Dior used at his first show. The Saddle was designed by John Galliano and shown for spring 2000, then revived by Maria Grazia Chiuri in 2018. Both are heavily copied.

The date code

Dior marks most bags with a code on a small leather tab, often on the back of the interior "Christian Dior Paris" tag. Older codes are usually two letters and four digits, such as MA-0959; more recent ones add two digits in front, such as 01-BO-0129. Specialists read the four digits across: the first and third give the month and the second and fourth the year, so 0129 would be February 2019. The country on the tag must agree with the rest of the bag, and the year must fit the model: a Saddle coded for a year in which the house was not making it deserves extra scrutiny. Formats have varied over time, and copies frequently carry well-formed codes.

Tag and stamps

The interior tag reads "Christian Dior" above "PARIS", with the country of manufacture beneath, in clean, evenly pressed lettering. On the Saddle, the leather flap tag and the "D" and "CD" hardware should be crisp and correctly proportioned.

Cannage and stitching

On the Lady Dior, the cannage is a topstitched pattern on the leather. The diamonds should be uniform and continuous across the body, with the stitching deep enough to give a padded effect. Shallow or uneven quilting is a frequent tell.

Hardware

The Lady Dior's dangling D.I.O.R. charms are separate letters in a set order and finish; they should hang freely and be substantial. The Saddle's metal D and the clasp should be heavy and smooth. Light, brassy or plated-looking metal on a recent bag is suspicious.

Oblique canvas

On Oblique jacquard Saddles, the "Christian Dior" pattern should be woven, not printed, and should run straight and symmetrically across the flap.

When to get a professional opinion

For both bags, and particularly for vintage Galliano-era Saddles, buy through a reseller that authenticates in house, such as Rebag, Fashionphile or The RealReal, or have the bag checked independently before purchase.

Genuine and counterfeit, side by side

Point	Genuine	Counterfeit
Date code	Format fits the era; month and year read across; plausible for the model.	Printed rather than pressed; year when the model was not in production.
Cannage	Uniform, continuous, padded quilting.	Flat or uneven diamonds.
Charms and D	Heavy, smooth, correct order.	Light, brassy, misshapen letters.