Dior creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri is all about highlighting female figures and empowerment—that’s been her direction since the very beginning at the maison. While that may appear opportunistic to some (cleverly so, perhaps), the overarching narrative seems to be working in the maison’s favour as Chiuri continues to capture the many different facets of femininity.
For Dior’s autumn/winter 2023 collection, she once again tapped on the spirits of independent women. Monsieur Dior’s sister Catherine Dior and French singers Édith Piaf and Juliette Gréco were the central characters revolving around post-war 1950s—right around the time when the Dior ‘New Look’ came to be. Each embodied a sense of rebellion against traditional feminine norms that’s also reflected in the masculine-feminine contrast of the ‘New Look’.
It’s no surprise then that there were plenty of riffs on the distinct Dior silhouette. The feminine fit-and-flare construction reigned dominated the collection, juxtaposed with hardier elements in the form of heavier fabrications, some semblances of streetwear-inspired pieces as well as distorted prints. The latter, were especially taken from Monsieur Dior’s love for florals but rendered in more abstract ways.
Fabrics were mottled and then interwoven with metallic thread such that they’re more malleable to work with. This resulted in an almost painterly effect that looked rather digitalised at some angles as the outlines had been blurred.
There were inflections of metallics used in some instances throughout the 96-look collection—echoing the set design that was the work of Joana Vasconcelos commissioned by Dior. While they weren’t all that obvious in most—metallic threads were added to poplin for subtle shimmer—the collection’s embroidered pieces used them to full effect for touches of the maison’s couture sensibilities.
The winning looks however, were the more monochromatic pieces. Dior Cannage quilting in looks 17 and 18 were cleverly and quite beautifully translated as insulating puffer outerwear, while the stunning ruby gown seen on look 46 needed little of the over-the-top (and sometimes, borderline stereotypical styling) that was employed.
But then again, as the graphic slogan tees of the collection—sure to be a commercial favourite—and the closing song by Piaf proclaim: “Non, je ne regrette rien.”
View the full Dior autumn/winter 2023 collection in the gallery below.
