The debut of Dior’s Spring/Summer 2023 collection was a dance with nature’s mysterious beauty and a rekindling of the magic inherent in the feminine mind, body, and spirit. Creative Director Maria Grazia Chiuri rekindled her passion for the Tuileries Garden, first commissioned by noblewoman Catherine de Medici, as the site for the dynamic show. Chiuri reflected on the intricate connection between woman, power, and fashion. Medici was not only intelligent in her politics, she was an innovator of supreme style, instituting heels, corsets, and Burano lace to the royal manufacturers.
Courtesy of Dior.
Courtesy of Dior.
Courtesy of Dior.
The longstanding enigma of the femme, and the powerful connection with nature and magical domains, provided rich inspiration for both Chiuri and artist Eva Jospin (the two previously collaborated on the Dior Autumn/Winter 2021/22 haute couture show). From the depths of baroque caves, Jospin shed light on secret worlds with her hypnotic set design in the historic garden. With great creative freedom, the artist imagined and executed an ornate grotto made uniquely of cardboard—a fundamental component in her research. The Buttes Chaumont grotto in Paris, the Villa Borromeo Visconti Litta in Lombardy, and the frescoes of the Palazzina Cinese in Palermo all provided stimulus for the fantastical installation embellished with vegetation, arches, and ruins.
On this stage, choreographers and dancers Imre and Marne van Opstal (sister and brother), illustrated a Renaissance-like performance of harmony, humanity, and re-birth around Chiuri’s models. It was in a dialogue with this surreal dreamscape that Dior’s latest collection came to life. Medici’s corset was reimagined with a figure-framing geometric shape, and the silhouettes of full skirts worn at the court were reintroduced in a play of short and long, the seen and the unseen. Raffia coats, dresses, and trousers were decorated with florals and birds. There was a seamless path between nature, fashion, and the beguiling city of Paris herself. A historic map of the city from the house’s archives was printed on various pieces, notably an elegant and modern trench coat.
Courtesy of Dior.
Courtesy of Dior.
Courtesy of Dior.
Each look was an elevated homage to our past, present, and future; crisp white shirts were paired with khaki pleated skirts, refined indigo jeans were embellished with gold floral patterns, and neutral striped bustiers were paired with luxurious trousers in a new take on loungewear. Accessories were both romantic and practical in floral bucket bags, some in geometric shapes, with tassels hanging like ripe fruit from a blossoming tree. Looks were rooted by edgy and utilitarian boots, or alluring knee-high fishnets paired with intricate platforms. Chic chokers and strands of luminous pearls adorned the neck. In a celebration of artisanal dialogues, Tassinari & Chatel by Lelièvre Paris, the legendary silk weaver manufacturer of Lyon, created two designs for the collection. From the archives of the century-old house, Chiuri selected the wondrous patterns of “Semé de fleurs” and “Oiseau de Paradis,” further pursuing the epic spell that mother nature, and Dior, has cast upon us all.
Courtesy of Dior.
Courtesy of Dior.
Courtesy of Dior.
