Dior presented its Cruise 2022 collection last night in the heart of Athens at the iconic Panathenaic Stadium.
Inspired greatly by the surroundings Maria Grazia Chiuri reimagined House codes taking inspiration from icons of Greek history. Sportswear meets elegance and classic Dior pieces such as the Bar jacket are given a Grecian twist.
Combining heritage and modernity the collection represents the notion of freedom and expression, something that has become so important to the women of today.
Chiuri looked to a series of photographs of one of Monsieur Dior’s Haute Couture collections, taken near the same iconic Parthenon in 1951 and took inspiration from this special moment in the brand’s history.
The Creative Director was also inspired by Giorgio De Chirico, a pioneer of Surrealism who drew on poignant memories of Greece to paint metaphysical places frozen in the silent contrast of light and shadow.
A colour palette of white resembled the Grecian Goddesses of the past as well as solid black, and touches of gold, were both regal and sophisticated.
Shoes came in the form of sneakers which were paired with everything from suits to evening gowns, representing the juxtaposition of athleisure style and femininity today. A series of white suits mirror those worn by Marlene Dietrich.
Maria Grazia Chiuri also explored the universe of Alexander Lolas, the cosmopolitan gallery owner who preserved his close ties to Greece and his home in Athens. There he assembled a collection of vases, decorated with the intertwined bodies of wrestlers. Giant close-ups of those silhouettes stand out in the sketches by the artist Pietro Ruffo or are camouflaged onto sportswear pieces.
The collection reinforces Grazia Chiuri’s desire to explore the variations of femininity.
See more of the collection below:
