Today, the excitement around Maria Grazia Chiuri’s debut for Christian Dior was finally tangible again at the first morning of Paris Fashion Week.
The first clue we got about Chiuri’s latest SS18 collection was at the entrance of the Musée Rodin; engraved on a big cement wall, quoting the renowned French-American experimental artist and filmmaker, Niki de Saint Phalle.
“If life is a game of cards. We are born without knowing the rules. Yet we must play our hand. Throughout the ages people have liked playing with tarot cards. Poets philosophers alchemists artists have devoted themselves to discovering their meaning” Niki de Saint Phalle.
Heavily influenced by feminine identity, the artistic director looked for inspiration in Phalle’s emotional driven works of art and series of photographs as she transforms them into a magical reality cascading down the runway inside a hall made of 80,000 pieces of mirror, and 7.2 tons of concrete.
Maria Grazia also explored the Maison’s archives and found inspiration from Marc Bohan’s era; referencing his playful creations, Chiuri introduced a colourful palette and thick blocks of rainbow brushstrokes on little dresses and jumpsuits paired with fun full-skirts opened from the front. There were also play-suits with black and white checks and large polka dots printed shirts, stripped sweaters with dragon graphics and some long-sleeved cotton tops reading “Why have there been no great woman artists”?- extracted from Linda Nochlin’s 1971 essay.
Through the Sixties inspired line-up there were plenty of things, which were pure Maria Grazia, her talent with the mirror metallic high lace-up boot, beret hats in black leather, double-denim ensembles and tulle skirts.
Once again, Chiuri is voicing her beliefs by illustrating the changing forces accomplished by women; not only found in fashion, but who are also changing today’s contemporary world.
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