&
Women@Dior & UNESCO is a unique international mentorship and educational program dedicated to young women, built on House of Dior’s unique expertise in transmission of knowledge and skills and its community of motivated and inspiring talents. Launched in 2017, the Program has now supported over 2,500 young women selected from a wide range of studies - from business to engineering, art and fashion, to hospitality, communication, international relations, and more. To date, Mentees have spanned over 60 countries and represent almost 90 nationalities.
Through our educational offerings, Mentees are guided by visionary leaders and esteemed guest speakers who delve into vital subjects, such as gender parity and women's leadership, that pave the way for responsible futures. Additionally, Mentees receive personalized support from their dedicated Dior Mentors, navigating the early stages of their careers and embarking on professional exploration. Each Mentee and Mentor dynamic is thoughtfully curated, leveraging an innovative approach that underscores compatibility and shared aspirations.
Partnership resonates at the heart of the Women@Dior & UNESCO Program, fostering meaningful connections and propelling our Mentees towards a future of boundless possibilities. Guided and nurtured by their Mentors, and in collaboration with fellow Mentees, this transformative experience culminates in the collective creation and realization of the Dream for Change Project, aimed at fostering empowerment among young women.
The Program is built on 5 core values:
Self-Care & Self-Awareness:
Learning to know yourself in order to self-assert, transform, transcend preconceptions, deconstruct archetypes, and enhance inner growth. Connecting body and mind to be able to shine. All of these values and approaches are ones that the House of Dior and UNESCO hold dear, for self-revelation and cultivating individuality; driven by dynamic empowerment, sisterhood, dialogue and cultural curiosity.
Autonomy:
Autonomy is necessary for self-affirmation and accountability for one’s own actions. Access to freedom is an essential foundation for conceiving and creating ethical ways of living together. No impediment to freedom is justifiable, because freedom alone makes creativity possible.
Creativity:
Creativity encourages innovation and inspires ideas for a more responsible future, and a healthier, more resilient planet. A passion for culture, heritage and the most contemporary creations are at the heart of Dior’s values. They help us to dream, to develop visionary solutions that are ever more stimulating and take into account tomorrow’s major issues, be they ecological, economic or societal.
Inclusion:
Inclusion offers every voice a legitimate, respected place in society. It is urgent to transform our differences into opportunities to broaden our horizons personally and culturally, to enhance creativity and long-term social responsibility/cohesion.
Sustainable Development:
Sustainability is essential in rethinking and (re)creating today’s world, for preserving the diversity of both nature and the people who live in it. The program recognizes this interconnectedness by placing education and culture at the heart of its mission. These values are indispensable for building a more sustainable and equitable future.
Following the coursework, participants are invited to put what they have learnt into practice by creating a project that supports the empowerment of young girls–the Dream for Change Project.
Dior joined UNESCO’s Global Education Coalition in 2020 on World Youth Skills Day, becoming the first couture House to do so, expanding the Women@Dior program globally with young female students from Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Tanzania, Jamaica, Pakistan, the Philippines and Sri Lanka. This is a concrete commitment to giving disadvantaged young women around the world the opportunity to receive an education, which is of utmost importance when taking into account society’s stakes.
“The Women@Dior & UNESCO mentorship and education program has been a deeply transformative chapter in my life. It gave me the courage to step out of my comfort zone, to speak up in rooms I never imagined I would be in and to truly believe that my ideas matter. Through the e-learning courses, the guidance of my mentor at Dior and the Dream for Change journey. I didn’t just design a project, I discovered the kind of leader and woman I want to become. Sitting at UNESCO during conferences and workshops and having the chance to be in the same room of CEOs and ministers, I felt my sense of purpose and responsibility grow. This program has given me a global sisterhood, a stronger voice and the lasting conviction that I am legitimate to shape change for other women and girls. Thank you for this opportunity.”
– Audrey Guilloux, W@Dior Mentee – Class of 2025–2026
“I am deeply grateful to have had the chance to share the Women@Dior experience with my peers this year. Going into this program, you will have the chance to meet brilliant young women from all parts of the world, learn from them and grow together. When I joined the program, I would have never imagined the journey I lived, from meeting Mentees from the 2024-2025 cohort during the Global Conference in July 2025, to winning the Dream for Change project at UNESCO's headquarters almost a year later. This program will help you grow personally and also challenge you professionally with the Dream for Change project, allowing you to develop a meaningful project alongside your peers. One powerful lesson that the program taught me is to slow down, because everything that comes from a rested mind will be 100% better than from an exhausted one.”
– Patricia Diogo, W@Dior Mentee – Class of 2025–2026
“The Women@Dior & UNESCO acceleration program has been a transformative journey that has deepened my conviction to advance underrepresented female talent across the world. I profoundly value how the program united an exceptional community of mentors and young women, creating a rare space where ideas, purpose, and aspirations could flourish. Through this sisterhood, I discovered not only encouragement and belonging, but a shared determination to turn vision into lasting impact. Guided by hope and purpose, I look forward to carrying forward the wisdom I have gained and inspiring a new generation of girls across Latin America and beyond to dream boldly and lead with conviction.”
– Isabella Maldonado, W@Dior Mentee – Class of 2025–2026
All participants are selected according to three criteria: talent, ambition and generosity. They are all young women full of promise and potential who are united in the notion that their professional success is related to the sorority. Applications are reviewed based on the candidate’s demonstrated commitment to social impact, leadership potential, collaborative spirit, personal development, entrepreneurial thinking, innovative problem-solving, and a clear long-term vision.
This is not a recruitment program for an internship or job position. The Women@Dior & UNESCO Program is a mentoring program that runs parallel to your studies.
THE PROGRAM IS OPEN TO WOMEN WHO ARE:
Applications are currently closed.
“Women, who have such strong natural instinct, must have understood that I not only dreamed of making them more beautiful, but also happier.”
Monsieur Christian Dior, « Christian Dior and I »
