MARIA Grazia Chiuri has set a show-stopping expectation for Paris Fashion Week. Since her arrival at the Christian Dior house two years ago (to be exact), the Italian designer has curated a whimsical backdrop for the French brand. Season after season, thread after thread, she continues to dance her way through a sky of astronomy that famously filled the mind of its male founder. The latest episode in her fashioned fantasy? A poetic dialogue between dance and dress.
A stance of magnificence could be predicted prior to today’s show. One look at the invite informed attendants of a change from the Rodin Museum setting – Chiuri’s established venue for several seasons now – to a racecourse scraping the perimeter of Paris’s centre. What did guests arrive to? A simple white set exterior, emblazoned with slogans relating to dance. “Dance is the movement of the universe concentrated on an individual”, “I’m not interested in how people move, I’m interested in what makes them move”, for example. So what makes women move according to Chiuru? Simple – the spirituality expressed through dance, while being donned in Dior dress.
Runway was replaced by racetrack inside the show space, within which a rhythmic dialogue pulsed through material and movement. The vision – mixed between an entourage of models and avant-garde dancers – was that of wandering stars. Dancers were dressed in bodysuits topped with constellation-inspired paintings. As they moved with with total ease and expression, the unveiling of Dior’s SS19 clothing weaved through them synonymously. And as per Chiuri, looks materialised in her acclaimed ethereal styles, presenting graceful forms of the house’s female empowerment.
Silhouettes catered themselves to the flattering form of the female body. Classic tailoring was injected throughout – cropped bar jackets in black and navy accompanied fine, tulle skirts with fitted black leggings. Then came the threads of fishnet, sported across long sleeve tops, floor-length slip dresses and accompanying tights. Single toned styles did not dominate the collection of a staggering 87 looks, for Chiuri’s proclamation was expressed through nuanced decoration and elegant pattern. Floral-clad gowns, tie-die skirts, sequin-finished dresses – this was midnight in Paris, and the sartorial sky was bright.
So the verdict for SS19? Dress and dance in Dior. With accessorises catering completely to the flowing feeling of romanticism – slipper shoes and ribbon headbands were worn by each woman on stage – t’was the unveiling of the ballet dancer season. Chiuri can only be applauded for her consistent capability to revive a historical house through a contemporary lens. Today, that contemporary lens was found through movement. And it’s a dance performance that won’t be coming to a close any time soon.
by Faye Fearon
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