What might the house of Dior have looked like if 30 Avenue Montaigne was fashioned during the age of technology? As Maria Grazia Chiuri’s fall/winter 2022 opening look—a fitted black bodysuit panelled with highlighter green detailing—made its way down the runway, it was a question that was both confronting and poignant. The set in itself was something to wonder at even from miles away.
Down long, deep red hallways were black and white portraits by Italian feminist artist Mariella Bettineschi. The scene for Dior’s latest collection, it seems, was one of a literal and metaphoric art gallery— with the former named The Next Era. The many muses of the afternoon? The powerful woman fronting Bettineschi’s re-imagined take on old artworks.
Those who have followed Chiuri’s trajectory at the maison have become accustomed to her commitment to championing women both in design and practice. Dior’s fall/winter 2022 showing, while decidedly different, has stayed firmly rooted in this vow. In what can be considered an outre presentation for the creative director— one Dior calls a “new era” in reference to Bettineschi’s works—models are seen in refreshingly futuristic and feminine ensembles.
The Bar jacket, for example, sported an inside-out version of itself in all black. It also boasted inserts by D-Air Lab, an italian start up that can be summed up by a slogan that reads “for your safety, everyday, in every environment”. It was also D-Air Lab’s expertise that lent to the aformentioned bodysuit, neon-panelled racing gloves as well as a protective harness that Chiuri paired with a delicate lace ensemble.
That’s not to say the maison’s classic cornerstones were missing, however. Decidedly softer elements were ever-present too. From swan-like tulle dresses to flowy eveningwear, in the midst of Dior’s foray into the future were glimmers of the house’s loyalty to the nostalgic basics.
1 / 14
2 / 14
3 / 14
4 / 14
5 / 14
6 / 14
7 / 14
8 / 14
9 / 14
10 / 14
11 / 14
12 / 14
13 / 14
14 / 14
