Maria Grazia Chiuri sets a clear tone at Dior, practically inaugurating Paris Fashion Week, aligning with the subdued mood that swept through London and Milan. However the location was an arresting installation by Mumbai's Shakuntala Kulkarni, drawing a constellation of stars to the front row from Rosalía to Korean singer Jisoo.
The collection was nod to fundamentals with flawless trench coats and various takes on the classic Bar Jacket. The prominent display of "Miss Dior" across numerous looks signals a shift away from the widely mentioned concept of 'quiet luxury', raising questions about the need for such conspicuous branding. This could be a reference to their namesake perfume or a more explicit declaration of the Dior woman's identity.
Echoing her couture collection from January, the ready-to-wear line balances simplicity and richness, marrying a sense of history with contemporary relevance. The collection navigates between the sombre atmosphere of today and the nostalgic 1950s, all while staying true to Christian Dior's storied heritage, albeit "reconstructed" by Chiuri for today's audience.
Chiuri's Italian influence brings light to the French house, modernising Dior's classic silhouettes without discarding them entirely. The designs are more relaxed, with boxier, slightly oversized shapes that still showcase Dior's renowned construction quality. Skirts offer a flattering diagonal line at the front with their cross-cut shape, and the colour palette sticks to classic black, white and camel, interspersed with checks, leopard prints, and metallics for good measure. Fringes on some metallic dresses added an extra layer of glamour.
Chiuri surely knows how to play with the house's codes; it wasn't just boxy shapes; coats and matching sets offered cinched waists alongside flowing trousers and even introduced denim (Chiuri herself took a bow in bluejeans) demonstrating that casual can also be chic.
There's also good news for those looking for options for modest dressing, with trousers under dresses mirroring a wider trend. The recent collections of the house, including this one, may not be hailed as the pinnacle of innovation, but Chiuri's designs do stand out for their clarity and wearability, highlighting her successful integration into Dior's legacy.
