April 30, 2019 |
Instead of just a trip to an exotic destination, Maria Grazia Chiuri took the fashion troupes on a cultural exchange programme to Marrakesh, Morocco. Dior’s kick off to the Cruise 2020 tour wasn’t about finding the perfect backdrop to a beautiful collection of holiday-ready clothes. This monumental show was an opportunity to celebrate a global idea of communal creativity.
For this occasion, Chiuri curated a list of creative collaborators that went beyond just an artist designing a print or painting over a canvas. From anthropologist Anne Grossfiley and tailor Monsieur Pathe’o to fashion designer Wales Bonner and artist Mickalene Thomas – each of these people contributed their personal experience and creativity to the rich heritage of Dior. And that heritage has now been enriched with an incredibly thought-out collection equivalent to those of Morocco-loving Yves Saint Laurent’s collections for the house.
Wales Bonner and Thomas joined in elevating Monsieur Dior’s New Look Bar jacket, a silhouette Chiuri had already made her own since her debut at the house. On the textile front, Dior collaborated with Uniwax, a heritage Ivorian company specialising in Wax fabrics. The brand’s monogram print was surrounded by rich flora and fauna, in multicoloured tapestries and abstract symbols, often embroidered with multicoloured beads. The richness of fabrications elevated even the most streamlined of silhouettes, such as the boxy twinsets and shift dresses. There were some streetwear cues too, courtesy of the cagoules and trainers – perhaps the influence of the men’s side of Dior.
With the rain pouring down and the army of models parading down the woven tapestries joined into a catwalk, there was a notion of an outer-body experience to the show. Harmonious chaos and spirituality – such is the beauty of a cultural clash.
Take a look at the making of the Christian Dior-Uniwax Special Edition scarves used for creations by Stephen Jones in collaboration with Martine Henry.
