Inside the First Dior Spa in the US

After five years of construction, a Dior Spa has officially opened in New York City, the first permanent one stateside. Square footage is under wraps, per brand policy, but the oasis is perched on the top floor of the brand’s flagship on Madison Avenue and 57th Street, newly renovated by designer Peter Marino. It’s the only Dior in the world with an in-boutique wellness space.

As one might expect, the spa has no shortage of special luxuries. A custom scent crafted by Francis Kurkdjian, Dior’s perfume creation director, wafts through the vents. A wall featuring 40,000 hand-placed pieces of mother-of-pearl adorns a treatment room; the floral motif was partially assembled in the Philippines before being finished in New York.

In a space that’s meant to be restorative, these touches are relatively subtle, which means the spa lacks the grandeur of the stunning lower shopping levels. These are adorned with animatronic animals, butterflies and foliage made from upcycled Dior fabric, and there’s living greenery too, a nod to Monsieur Dior’s love of gardens.

But what the spa lacks in bold colour and singing fabric birds, it makes up for in the latest technology and special touches. Devices from Cortex, Hydrafacial, Icoone, Oxygenceuticals and Raja have been customised with gold Dior logos. A makeup parlor is staffed by an in-house artist to create looks inspired by Peter Phillips, the creative and image director for Dior Makeup (from 30 minutes, price upon request). And if a VIP client needs a quick coif before an event, the team will dispatch a hairstylist from their expansive network in the city.

The real magic happens inside the four treatment rooms, which have been given names that Dior obsessives will recognise as landmarks in the house’s hallowed history: Granville, 1947, New Look, and Lily of the Valley. (These refer, respectively, to Christian Dior’s hometown in Normandy, the year and name of the first collection for his namesake brand, and the floral motif that appeared on designs throughout his career.)

Sarah Akram, Dior’s American master aesthetician and ambassador, specially co-designed a signature Haute Couture Treatment for New York clientele. With clients such as Angela Bassett, Kristen Stewart, Quinta Brunson and Mindy Kaling on her roster, Akram is well-versed in the art of VIP skin care, and she spent weeks in Paris honing Dior’s approach to the Big Apple (Paris is known for being hands on) .

The session begins with assessments that use a device to gauge your “Dior Measurements”—skin elasticity, pH level, collagen, hydration and sebum production. Treatments, customised based on the results, make use of cold laser, ultrasound, microcurrent, microdermabrasion, LED lights, cryotherapy and oxygen infusion, using Raja Medical’s space-age-y multitasking Oxylight Ionix.

The Haut Couture was kept to just 90 minutes, as New York customers are more likely to choose treatments that are as efficient as they are pampering. (You’ll have to tack on an additional 30 minutes for the consultation.) The session with a Dior wellness expert costs $800; Akram herself will be available during regular residencies each month for up to four days starting September 24 to 26. (A session with her costs $1,300.)

Other facials include the Golden Aura (90 minutes, $550), Dior Powered by Hydrafacial and Kobi-Dior (60 or 90 minutes, $450/$575). There are four body treatments on the menu as well ($375-$550). Blending luxury and technology, the New Look lymphatic treatment uses manual techniques alongside Icoone’s micro-stimulating rollers, which resemble mechanical octopus arms. (The body stocking clients are required to wear sadly does not bear the Dior logo.)

You can also book a session in the Dior Light Suite, which was customised for the space by Dr. Francois Duforez, a Parisian sleep specialist. Inside, you’re exposed to four different light therapy treatments that are designed to help you recharge and recover, which may come in handy for busy city dwellers looking for a 90-minute nap to recuperate from jet lag or nurse a hangover ($170).

The spa opens at a challenging time for luxury brands. In the first half of 2025, Dior’s parent company, LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE, reported a 9% drop in revenue in the second quarter of 2025. China, long a growth engine for the company, has seen a sustained downturn in demand for luxury goods, and things aren’t much brighter in other markets. Luxury conglomerate Kering SA has experienced a similar slump.

Expanding more broadly into beauty and wellness may ultimately help offset these losses, but the spa push isn’t a new initiative for Dior. Paris and Antibes on the Riviera already have full Dior spas, and there are compact ones on the Belmond’s Royal Scotsman and Eastern and Oriental Express trains, if you’re itching to unwind with a massage while exploring the jungles of Malaysia or the Highlands of Scotland. Travellers can also dip into a Dior recharge at Hamad International Airport in Qatar.

Dior knows its customer comes for something particular to the storied brand, and in addition to all the unique treatments, the New York spa is also a place to scoop up Bobby, a bottle inspired by Christian Dior’s beloved pooch and designed in 1952, which contains Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet scent. The glass puppy wears an embroidered floral bow that pays home to the iconic scent inside. At $750, it’s a far more affordable souvenir of your trip to the spa than one of the elegant bags or jackets available downstairs.

By Aja Mangum

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