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If you thought you had already seen everything luxury fashion houses could possibly transform into a collectible object, Dior Maison has another surprise.
The new Trompe-l’Oeil collection takes perfectly ordinary sights from the dining table – eggs, croissants, pretzels, radishes and bananas – and transforms them into decorative ceramic objects priced at up to $750.
At first glance, the Dior Maison Trompe-l’Oeil collection almost looks like a visual joke. At second glance, that is precisely where its appeal lies.
Dior Maison uses the traditional trompe-l’œil technique, literally a “deception of the eye,” to transform familiar everyday objects into unexpected decorative pieces. Instead of conventional ornaments, luxury plates feature fried eggs, a croissant, walnuts and hazelnuts, a pretzel, radishes, a banana and even a chocolate Easter hen.
The result is a collection that exists somewhere between an art object, an interior decoration and a very expensive sense of humor.
When Breakfast Becomes Dior Décor
The idea relies on a simple trick: the eye first recognizes a familiar object and only then realizes that what it is looking at is not actually food, but a carefully crafted decorative piece.
Dior has taken one of the most ordinary sights imaginable – a fried egg on a plate – and transformed it into a designer object. The croissant, walnuts and hazelnuts receive similar treatment, while the rest of the collection introduces an entire series of motifs taken from everyday life.
All of the plates are made in Italy from 100% earthenware, with several models measuring 24.5 centimeters in diameter. Certain motifs extend beyond the almost flat form of the plate, becoming considerably more sculptural.
And that is where things become even more interesting – especially once you look at the prices.
A $700 Pretzel and a $750 Banana
One of the more striking designs features a pretzel resting on an ecru ceramic base. The plate measures 24.5 centimeters in diameter, is three centimeters deep and comes with an impressive $700 price tag.
For another $50, you can move on to vegetables.
The model decorated with radishes costs $750, is made from the same material and has the same basic dimensions.
And if you prefer fruit, Dior also has a banana.
The Trompe-l’Oeil Banana is also priced at $750, although its three-dimensional motif gives it a depth of seven centimeters.
In other words, Dior has managed to create a $750 banana that, unlike the one duct-taped to a wall, at least will not ripen before your guests arrive.
An Entire Dior Menu on the Wall
The pretzel, radishes and banana are only part of a much broader collection.
Other motifs include three eggs, fried eggs, a croissant, walnuts and hazelnuts, asparagus, an Easter hen and even Dracula.
Not all of the pieces share the same proportions. The Easter hen, for example, measures 27 × 11 centimeters and weighs 695 grams, while the greater depth of certain designs further enhances the illusion that a real object is emerging from the wall or surface.
That is precisely why the collection works best when viewed as a kind of cabinet of luxury curiosities rather than a traditional dinnerware set.
Dior Proves That Luxury Does Not Always Have to Be Serious
The Trompe-l’Oeil collection belongs to the broader world of Dior Maison, where the House’s recognizable fashion sensibility is translated into interiors and objects for the home.
This time, luxury is not expressed through gold, crystals or elaborate ornamentation, but through craftsmanship, humor and an object’s ability to immediately start a conversation.
And perhaps that is the most interesting thing about the collection. Luxury interiors can sometimes become so perfect that they feel almost sterile. Dior Maison demonstrates that an expensive object can be sophisticated and slightly eccentric at the same time.
Because there is something almost absurdly appealing about the idea of hanging a plate with a $750 banana on your wall.
And if someone asks why – they have probably already understood the point.
