Dior kicked off Paris Fashion Week with its Fall/Winter 2023 collection presentation.
Maria Grazia Chiuri celebrated the 1950s with her designs and three specific women; Catherine Dior, the founding couturier’s courageous sister, who was the original ‘Miss Dior’, as well as Édith Piaf and Juliette Gréco, whose style and passion perfectly capture the essence of the brand.
Catherine Dior was the original Miss Dior, she epitomised French style and had an undeniable independent spirit. She shared this same spirit with Édith Piaf and Juliette Gréco, two trailblazers of their time.
Each season, Maria Grazia Chiuri takes the opportunity to celebrate women, particularly those who have made an impact throughout the history of the brand. It was these three women who expressed the true soul of women in Paris, and subvert feminine stereotypes that were part of the post-war mindset in the fifties. This was a fabulous time for fashion, when women combined their style with a sense of freedom of expression. There was colour, bold silhouettes and a chic sense of femininity.
For this collection, Chiuri designs a collection that has a sense of rebellion, much like the women who inspired it. She revisits floral motifs designed by Monsieur Dior and uses mottled fabric, interwoven with metallic thread that breathes life into the fabric and creates an abstract effect.
Jackets and straight skirts are presented in tartan fabrics, while poplin also shimmers with metallic thread. Embroidery adds little bursts of light.
The silhouette is classic fifties, fit and flare waists, flowing skirts and slim suits with a touch of masculinity. The colour palette focuses on primary colours: ruby, emerald, topaz yellow, and blue.
The impressive scenographic installation for the show space was named ‘Valkyrie Miss Dior’, and was created by the artist Joana Vasconcelos. The colourful creation was a reference to Catherine Dior.
See more of the collection below:
