Lady Blue Shanghai: The strange case of David Lynch and Dior

The American independent film-maker David Lynch and the French fashion house Dior would seem to make for strange bedfellows. Lynch is the director of some of the most uniquely disturbing cinematic visions of the past four decades. His work is delivered through the popular medium of cinema but appeals to a very specific audience. Dior markets exclusivity to the masses, using widespread recognition to sell a line of products that includes clothing, handbags and perfume. Yet in 2009, Dior sponsored the production of Lynch’s short film Lady Blue Shanghai, a sixteen-minute noir mystery starring French actress Marion Cotillard. The backer allowed the director complete creative control of the Shanghai-set production, providing that three conditions were met: a particular Dior accessory had to be featured prominently, the Oriental Pearl Tower had to be seen, and some scenes had to be shot in old Shanghai. Although it promotes a brand, Lady Blue Shanghai is a ‘short’ rather than a conventional commercial, albeit a short that contractually features a luxury product. Lady Blue Shanghai was made available via the Dior website, reaching audiences through new media while attracting the attention of the mainstream press due to the reputation of its director. This article will examine the dual status of Lady Blue Shanghai as a film by David Lynch and as a Dior project through reference to the director’s narrative and stylistic signatures, while assessing such authorial elements alongside the manner in which the brand is conveyed through his aesthetic sensibility.