Maria Grazia Chiuri celebrates the centuries-long relationship between France and the United States with a pre-fall collection honouring both locations. The relationship is a historical one - France gifted the Statue of Liberty to New York in the 19th century to commemorate the alliance between the nations during the American Revolution. However, Christian Dior himself had personal ties to both style capitals, therefore the collection is a celebration of both cultures and an ode to his travels between the two.
The show took place at the Brooklyn Museum, which hosted the Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams exhibition in 2021; Christian Dior opened the New York atelier in 1948, bringing Parisienne glamour to the Big Apple. Prints of the Eiffel Tower and Statue of Liberty are featured throughout the collection in an on-the-nose reference to Grazia Chiuri's inspirations - others included a sweatshirt boasting the USA flag and leggings screaming 'Paris' and 'New York' - while subtle style references of tweed suiting, American denim and aviator jackets conjure a cooler image of a bygone era Big Apple. Perhaps in reference to the modern-day working woman in the United States, plenty of the pieces are workwear-appropriate, from crisp shirts to sharp-shouldered tailoring.
Maria Grazia Chiuri always has a human muse and, for pre-fall 2024, it was 1940s film star and friend of the House Marlene Dietrich. She is an example of Dior's marriage of extravagance and pared-back, almost tomboyish allure. Several of the designs are replicas of those worn by the star throughout her career, including a waistcoat and top hat she wore in Morocco, while odes to her signature masculine tailoring were created from menswear fabrics.
Traditional House codes are evident through the integration of the Dior star, lily of the valley, clover, cannage and the bee, while the Maison's couture know-how is infused through lace-adorned slip dresses and collars, knitwear and intricate embroideries. Rewatch the show
