Show Notes: Dior Spring Summer 2025 Haute Couture

When: January 27, 2025

The venue: The Dior runway show at the Rodin Gardens once again showcased the works of a female artist – a tradition that Maria Grazia Chiuri, Dior’s champion of feminism, has embraced since becoming artistic director nine years ago. This ongoing commitment not only supports women artists but also celebrates the powerful intersection of art, craft, and fashion.

This season, Chiuri collaborated with Rithika Merchant, a Mumbai-based artist, to create an immersive installation focused on the theme of womanhood across generations.

Merchant’s artwork, a series of nine paintings, was transformed into large-scale textile panels by Karishma Swali, the Chanakya ateliers, and students from the Chanakya School of Craft. The result is a stunning collaboration that honours female energy, matriarchal narratives, and the timeless flow of life.

After the show, the installation will be open to the public from January 28 to February 2 as part of a public exhibition.

Deeply influenced by her roots in Kerala, a southern state in India, Merchant’s work incorporates botanical motifs, universal symbols, and mythological references to explore themes of female strength, joy, and empowerment.

The takeaway: Is there a better stage for designers to bring their deepest fantasies to life, blending clothesmaking, craft and storytelling, than the sacred realm of haute couture? Maria Grazia Chiuri’s latest Dior collection offers a resounding answer: absolutely not. The romantic collection immediately transports us into Chiuri's exploration of sartorial memory and the transformation of fashion – a journey through time, where her deep dive into fashion history provides the rich backdrop for her modern designs.

Chiuri’s research into the past creates a surreal dreamscape, blending nostalgia and fantasy in a visually stunning way. She referenced the recently concluded Surrealism exhibition at the Pompidou Center in Paris, alongside works by Leonor Fini and Dorothea Tanning, as well as Alice in Wonderland among her inspirations.

Some may argue that the collection veers toward costume-like elements – such as the extravagant crinolines – but that’s part of the celebration of fabric and form. It's a dramatic tribute to Dior's couture ateliers and their expertise, evoking memories of another era at Dior, when John Galliano conjured similarly theatrical couture moments.

The collection references Christian Dior's iconic Cigale design from the Fall Winter 1952-1953 haute couture line. The original moire fabrics are reinterpreted into a modern, contrasting silhouette – seen in a little skirt paired with a fitted tailcoat – while a feather-embellished organza cape adds delicate drama. Chiuri also reimagines Dior's Cigale silhouette, incorporating its boxy construction into pieces like a black lampshade dress sparkling with jet beads.

Inspired by the 1958 Trapeze line introduced by Yves Saint Laurent, the collection includes a beige faille swing coat and a black taffeta baby doll dress, both capturing the essence of that groundbreaking design while making it undeniably contemporary.

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Playful contrasts abound: from lace-trimmed tulle culottes to punk-inspired headpieces, each piece explores fluidity and movement, emphasizing the dynamism of the human form.

As Chiuri herself told WWD, “My idea is more to enjoy the moment. I don’t care about the future.” And in this collection, she was undoubtedly living in that moment.

The items we're eyeing: The corset bodysuit (Look 16), the moire fabric coat (Look 23), the crinoline mini dress (Look 32), the tiered babydoll dress (Look 40), the embroidered tulle mini dress (Look 49), and the feathered dress (Look 67)

The looks: