Haitian-American artist Patrick Eugène has been tapped by Dior to reinterpret the house’s iconic Lady Dior handbag for the 10th-anniversary edition of its Dior Lady Art initiative.
For a decade, the project has invited artists from around the world to transform the classic bag into a work of art. Eugène is one of just two U.S.–based artists among ten international participants selected for this milestone edition, which will premiere at Art Basel Paris later this month before becoming available at Dior boutiques worldwide.
Eugène’s version of the Lady Dior draws on his Haitian roots, incorporating leather and textile patchwork, wooden beads, macramé, raffia embroidery, and straw weaving. One standout design features woven leather side panels inlaid with pearls—a nod to Haiti’s historic nickname, the “Pearl of the Antilles.” Pearls, long symbols of purity and refinement in Dior’s visual language, are reimagined here as emblems of endurance and legacy.
Based in Atlanta, Eugène approaches the handbag as a “moving canvas,” an extension of his portraiture practice exploring identity, ancestry, and resilience. Following its debut in Paris, his collaboration will anchor special activations during Art Basel Miami Beach in December.
Eugène’s work has been exhibited in the United States and abroad and is held in both private and institutional collections. His last solo show, Solitude, was with Mariane Ibrahim, Paris. The gallery also gave Eugène a solo booth at Frieze Los Angeles earlier this year.
