Of the six collections that Maria Grazia Chiuri designs each year, pre-fall is the only one for which there is no show, no destination, no lush backdrop or performance. Presented studio-style, the looks appear with the exactitude of a study rather than as a spectacle suited to social media. Here, sans fantasy, you see Dior circa 2020 in the most wearable terms.
Make no mistake, Chiuri seems to savor this stripped-back statement, since it puts the foundation of her “optimistic vision” on full display—from comfortable corset shapes to elegantly constructed anoraks. Checkered twinsets paired with miniskirts and equestrian boots; lengthened coatdresses worn open over pants; and crisp tie-dyed ensembles that register with arty polish show how she continues to rethink Monsieur Dior’s ladylike codes similar to the way in which an interior designer works within the existing architecture. “Fashion is a project, and we’re at a moment when we should be thinking how to renovate this project,” she said.
A house like Dior, of course, is so well built that an effective renovation might entail little more than a cool new bag (the ongoing popularity of the Oblique tote) and some gorgeous embroidered dresses (the latest gowns with dimensional, delicate flowers or lustrous bronze stripes). But Chiuri, who specialized in industrial design before shifting to fashion, remains bent on bringing intellectual substance to the savoir faire. And for the first time this season, she put forth her own reflections and examinations based on extensive readings and research (her inspiration board was paneled in pages from Bianca e Blu Monica Bolzoni, a book about the forward thinking of a little-known Italian brand).
The Manifesto by Maria Grazia Chiuri for Dior in This Millennium is spaced throughout the lineup as 10 declarations, juxtaposed with photographs by Brigitte Niedermair. From the first, “Fashion is political. Fashion is desire,” to the last, “Choosing a dress is taking a stand,” they address sustainability, creative process, production, inclusivity, identity, and how the past informs the future.
If a jacket in camo fil coupe or a black velvet tuxedo may not transmit these topics explicitly, a brand that takes a position on issues signals its relevance beyond the product offering. Chiuri, for one, is aware that people will invariably gravitate toward the pieces that feature Christian Dior in large letters, but she returned to the analogy of construction as a testament to timelessness. “The fit must be perfect,” she insisted. “The signature is the value of the idea; the signature is not just the logo.”
