The Fall Ready-to-Wear show of Maria Grazia Chiuri for Dior featured a direct and austere yet powerfully sexy Parisian woman on the runway, wearing mostly black and artfully wrinkled suits and dresses that paid homage to the 1950s while also addressing the somber present. The collection was recognizably Christian Dior’s heritage, but it was reconstructed by Chiuri, who focuses on seeing how the past can be made relevant for today’s women. Chiuri identifies with the rediscovered, little-known stories of the women who wore Dior’s clothes, including Catherine Dior, the couturier’s sister; Juliette Gréco, the Left Bank singer and actress who was famed for wearing existentialist black; and Edith Piaf, who was, well, Edith Piaf. Chiuri sees all three as forerunners of feminism.
Chiuri’s personal background as an Italian has influenced her sensibilities and the lightness she brings to the storied French house of Dior, easing and modernizing Dior templates without committing brand sacrilege by throwing them out. Chiuri achieved a satisfyingly vintage look for the clothes through ultra-modern fabrics interwoven with metal thread, with the “metal memory” in the garments allowing women to tweak them to suit their bodies or moods at will. The nipped-in boning of the Dior Bar jacket has become a thing of the past, and Chiuri has worked to make everything light, a DNA of her Italian background.
Chiuri’s clothes do not need convoluted explanations to make sense. The collection was strong and fragile, addressing both the present and the 1950s. There was beauty in simplicity in the opening look, which was an open-necked white shirt tucked into a black pencil skirt. Tartan and prints were also scattered throughout the collection, and intentional wrinkling and a sense of modernity were present in the all-black looks. Chiuri also had fun with accessories, including platform-soled ankle-strapped shoes with Roger Vivier’s famous “Choc” heels from the 1947 New Look collection, jewelry with miniature Eiffel Towers dangling from rings, and the center of pearl chokers.
Christian Dior was famed for bringing back romance, glamor, and fashion itself as a sign of hope and joy for all women after the devastating war in Europe. Chuiri has her own approach to encouraging and uplifting women’s spirits today. Her sober-sexy collection was arched over by the humongous, playfully colorful fabric sculpture installation commissioned from the Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos, which felt almost like a cozily protective, affirmative female presence watching over the models and audience alike. The collection was a refreshing counterpoint to the kaleidoscopic fabric installation titled Valkyrie Miss Dior, which provided a cosy and protective environment in which the feminine realm of artisanal craft flourished.
Chiuri’s approach to fashion design goes beyond just creating aesthetically pleasing garments. She also seeks to empower and uplift women through her collections, and this season’s Dior show was no exception. By drawing inspiration from the little-known stories of resilient post-war women who wore Dior clothes, Chiuri honors their legacy and positions them as forerunners of feminism. Through her designs, she encourages women to be strong, independent, and confident, much like the women who came before them.
Overall, the fall ready-to-wear collection by Maria Grazia Chiuri for Dior is a masterful blend of the past and present, honoring the storied heritage of the fashion house while also making it relevant for today’s women. By reconstructing Dior’s history through the stories of the women who wore his clothes, Chiuri brings a fresh perspective to the brand and empowers women to embrace their own individuality and strength. The result is a collection that is both visually stunning and emotionally resonant, one that speaks to the enduring power of fashion to inspire and uplift.
Christian Dior official channel
