It’s through a rich collection bursting with sophistication that Maria Grazia Chiuri reclaimed the values of Haute Couture after this period of restrictions, always the Dior way! Fabric was turned into forms and embroidery became an artistic performance in a collection that was taken over by an energy resembling poetic pleasure. Movement and attitude joined, only to result in a series of pieces displaying through checks, tweeds, textures and different dimensions in black and white an innovative style like no other.

“Being present” was clearly the designer’s message, which translated into a reinterpretation of embroidery to become more than an ornament, but rather an element connected to the senses of sight and touch. With textile artist and curator Clare Hunter’s book “Threads of Life” being a source of inspiration in this collection, weaving and embroidery were being highlighted as crafts that Chiuri holds dear as transmitters of memory and gestures of protection, care and protest.

As “Chambre de Soie” work provided a backdrop for the show, the walls showcased life-size embroideries mimicking the Indian-inspired Salle aux Broderies in Rome’s Colonna Palace. This extraordinary setting was the perfect place to unveil dresses showcasing magnificent pleats, trains and hand-woven chains in colors dear to Monsieur Dior like powder blue and nude. A green dress with astonishing embroidery stood out as well, awakening in us couture desires and revealing what we did not knew existed to make this collection avant-gardist in the true meaning of the word.