If last season’s sports-inspired Dior couture collection was about releasing the body, this season was about defining it. Corsets cinched silhouettes (are the models' waists in the room with us right now?) which were exposed by crinolines — the structures that give dresses that hoop shape and are usually veiled by fabric.“This silhouette is much more structured,” Creative Director Maria Grazia Chuiri explained in an Instagram post, “and combined with elements that are not necessarily part of my usual language, which I chose to revisit using an entirely different approach.”
But the show’s most notable feature was the models' resemblance to a flock of majestic birds: dresses came in maribou feathers, mesh was rendered in the shape of plumes, and the majority of models’ heads were adorned with black headdresses calling to mind an exotic bird’s feather crown. Several of the looks—many of which, like last season, were monochromatic— were giving 2010 ballet thriller Black Swan.
And the show’s set was befitting of its birds of paradise theme. Chuiri joined forces with artist Rithika Merchant, who painted a series of works inspired by her Keralan heritage, the respect women commanded throughout the Indian region’s history, and of course, birds. “It's all about connection to nature. To me, birds have always signified ultimate freedom because they can fly,” Merchant explained in a behind-the-scenes video. For the show, her paintings were translated into large-scale textile panels by Karishma Swali, the Chanakya ateliers and the Chanakya School of Craft. They can be visited by the public at the Diordéfilé in the garden of the Rodin Museum from January 28 to February 2—a win for the democratization of art and fashion.
An unexpected injection of fishnet in dresses, socks, and bodysuits modernized the collection and gave it an edge. While its usual sleaziness was offset by elegant silhouettes, ruffled collars, petit coats, (exposed) bloomers, and subdued kitten heels.
The closing look saw a model emerge down the runway in an intricate black dress befitting of Natalie Portman herself. She was shortly followed by a black-suited Maria Grazia Chuiri, who (deservedly, in our humble opinion) received a standing ovation from members of the FROW.
All featured images via Getty ©
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