MANIFESTO

#61

ART NOW

CRUISE 2023

2022.06.17

Maria Grazia Chiuri’s Dior Cruise 2023 collection is an encounter of creation, emotion and intention, told through the exaltation of femininity.

It is a voyage of discovery that was presented in Maison Dior’s Cuise 2023 défilé staged in Seville. The backdrop of the evocative location welcomed guests through a warm atmosphere, evoking the history of the Maison and Hispanic culture. Dior has always celebrated the richness of Spanish tradition, as for example in the haute couture collection of 1956, with the creation of the Bal à Séville dress, and on this occasion too the references are clear: from the chiaroscuros of Francisco Goya to the words of the poet Federico García Lorca. The creative process that characterises art in all its forms blends fascination, tribute, interpretation and finally returns all these elements to the eyes of the beholder in a careful and personal work. Creative Director Maria Grazia Chiuri is inspired by metaphorical worlds and physical, real places, focusing mainly on the codes that have inspired fashion. The iconic figure of the collection is La Capitana, the stage name of Carmen Amaya, the first Flamenco dancer to wear men’s clothes. With her gracefulness and freedom she represented the true essence of this traditional dance, establishing herself as a figure capable of combining power and fragility through her art, still today a symbol of conscience for the entire female world.

“I think the most important thing about these dancers is they use their body like a musical instrument, when I did the fitting of the dancers, it was incredible.”

– Maria Grazia Chiuri

Other references to legendary characters from Spain of all times allow the Maison’s core values to be revisited in an iconic key. Alternating short jackets embellished with Brandebourg closures; high-waisted men’s trousers; silk-covered waistcoats; white shirts. Impeccable workmanship details, such as embroidery on boleros and traditional Manila shawls, carvings on the leather of trousers and accessories, laces applied to jackets and dresses, complete each look. Accessories include wide-brimmed hats worn on the right angle of the head, riding boots or jewelled low shoes alternating with men’s loafers, the Maison’s iconic handbags re-proposed with unique handcrafted details, as well as jewellery. Also entirely handmade following traditional techniques taken from decorations of sacred objects that have accompanied the history of religious ceremonies in the Spanish kingdom. The silhouettes are slender with maxi lengths, the high and marked waists highlight the volumes of the skirts that move accompanied by the rhythm of the notes in the background. Four fundamental colours stand out in the proposed palette through which the entire collection revolves: white, black, red and sand/ochre. The atmosphere of the orchestra playing light but decisive live notes, accompanied by a flamenco choreography, suspends the muses’ path to an iconic and earthly vision, and references to a hidden rituality with a strong cultural background bring out the craftsmanship and impeccable savoir-faire. Once again, the heritage of the Maison Dior is enhanced through extraordinary collaborations. 

“Seville was a port where all cultures met. That’s the beauty of the place, when people are becoming more nationalistic, we need to build bridges with fashion. And somehow, all of this is in the story of the craftsmanship.”

– Maria Grazia Chiuri

LOUIS VUITTON

GHESQUIÈRE OCTOBER 2014

2023.09.20

The GO-14 bag, an acronym for Ghesquière October 2014, originated as one of the first creations to mark the designer’s debut at the head of the Louis Vuitton Maison.

NEWS

On Foot

2023.09.19

The exhibition On Foot, curated by Jonathan Anderson at Offer Waterman Gallery, will bring contemporary artists in dialogue with works of modern British Art and some interventions conceived by the designer himself.

EXHIBITION

MODE ET SPORT. D'UN PODIUM À L'AUTRE

2023.09.18

Ahead of the 2024 Olympics, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris presents Mode et Sport: from September 20th 2023 will be possible to discover the fascinating interconnections between fashion and sport from the ancient world to the present day.

V&A Museaum

FASHION MANIFESTO

2023.09.15

The first exhibition in the UK dedicated to the visionary couturier Gabrielle Coco Chanel – Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto will open on September 16th 2023 at the Victoria & Albert Museum.

JEWELLERY

A BAG BECOMES JEWELLERY

2023.09.14

From September 13th, the Kelly by Hermès will be the star of an exhibition in the Milan boutique of Via Montenapoleone, where the Kellymorphose retrospective will be staged, boldly and surprisingly reinterpreting the brand’s iconic accessory in the world of jewellery.