Designing clothes that reflect our new style of life, Maria Grazia Chiuri’s spring/summer 2021 collection for Dior will make you feel (fashionable) at home. With looks to ease into a post-lockdown world, the Dior woman gets comfortable in loose jackets, roomy khakis, fluid chiffon dresses and lightweight robes to lounge in all-day-long.
Presented in a darkened room lit-up by cathedral-like stained glass windows — filled with Italian avant-garde artist Lucia Marcucci’s vibrant collages and visual poetry — the scenography displayed a marriage of art and feminism while a choir of female singers performed in the background. Sacred and soothing, the show space then welcomed a chorus of models dressed in the new season’s softest silhouettes.
Inspired by time spent at home, the collection called for ethereal and easy-to-wear pieces, scattered with artisan touches such as crochet, tie-dye and bohemian patchworks that mixed paisley and floral motifs. The fabrics and embellishments celebrated the skills of cultures from around the world, from Japan to Indonesia and Chiuri’s home, Italy.
Stiff and structural Dior jackets were relaxed and laid-back; the signature New Look silhouette was reimagined with cropped, billowing sleeves, there floaty dressing-gown shapes that hung open and anoraks emblazoned in “Christian Dior.” Looks were worn with an array of flat, rope-tied gladiator sandals and double-wrapped belts that offered a fresh way to elevate comfy ensembles. While heavy kohl eyeliner, knotted headbands and layered necklaces adorned in artsy charms confirmed an emphasis on (Zoom-ready) waist-up dressing.
While the world continues to adapt to the many changes that 2020 has forced upon us, Maria Grazia Chiuri is one step ahead with a new WFH wardrobe that is chic and comfortable. Made to transition, Dior’s spring/summer 2021 line embraces a new way of living, home placed at the heart of the collection.
