Fashion

Dior's Bold Rebellion Takes Center Stage at Paris Fashion Week

Within the immersive installation named 'Not Her,' the runway transformed from a conventional display into an open platform conveying powerful political messages.

Women have always been the muses of the House of Dior, an understanding that creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri has maintained in each collection. Last February, he paid tribute to French muses Catherine Dior, Édith Piaf and Juliette Gréco , and the season before, his creations were inspired by Catherine de Medici . For Dior's Spring/Summer 2024 collection, women were once again at the forefront of Chiuri's mind.

With a quick glance at the exhibition space, it didn't look like your typical Dior runway. And yet, when the music started and the first model (in a long black lace dress and a ruffled cape) took her first step, it became clear that the show was, exactly, from the French maison. Throughout the show, provocative messages appeared that challenged stereotypical narratives about femininity .

These messages included: "I'm not just a mother, wife and daughter. I'm a woman," "I don't belong to anyone else. I always call myself on the phone," and "Save your marriage. Iron properly." "Following Chiuri's tradition of celebrating art and offering platforms to artists, he collaborated with artist Elena Bellantoni for the passionate installation titled Not Her .

The collection captured the true spirit of women and their multifaceted nature, whether inherent or developed from a patriarchal society. This was reflected in the garments by the variety of silhouettes, design techniques and materiality used throughout the presentation. Slim-fitting suits, long pleated skirts and Dior's signature use of lace imbued the traditional nod to femininity.

Then came the juxtaposition, the "rebel spirit" per se: biker jackets paired with lace, romantic dresses (with a touch of John Galliano-era Dior), business suits paired with bold biker boots, rusty trench coats that looked being burned and deconstructed shirts that revealed a bare shoulder: all design choices that turn the other cheek of conventionality, of what "should be."

As a brand that never fails to attract big stars, celebrities such as Jenna Ortega, Robert Pattinson, Rosalía, Anya Taylor-Joy, Blackpink's Jisoo and Charlize Theron sat in the front row.

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