Mary, Queen of Scots has always been an inspiration to the French, rarely more so than on Monday night at Dior's latest cruise collection presented in Scotland.
Born Mary Stuart, daughter of King James V of Scotland and his French wife, Mary of Guise, her tragic story and fierce resistance to her cruel fate gave rise to one of the best collections ever created by Italian designer Maria Grazia Chiuri for the Dior house.
And a spectacle that began with a flutist playing plaintively, dressed in a dark red dress like the one worn at Mary's own execution, in a Catholic symbol of martyrdom. In the past, warrior princesses paraded in midnight blue, deep purple and forest green wool plaids cut into fantastic cocktail necklines and boleros with ruffles and zippers. Skirts and windbreakers. The look went into medieval mode with tartan breastplates and sequined blouses that looked like armor. Almost all the models wear multi-strap mechanical boots, without zippers and worn with dark argyle knee-high socks, Chiuri's latest look that will start a global trend.
All admired by a front row that included Rosamund Pike, Lily Collins and Jennifer Lawrence.
This cruise show was also the latest great example of Chiuri's restless ability to connect with rare local designers, artisans, and textile resources.
Chiuri flew to the Outer Hebrides to study Harris Tweed weavers and incorporated their tweeds into multiple looks. She went to the north east coast of Scotland to work with Johnstons of Elgin knitwear and
teamed up with local It Gal designer Samantha McCoach of Le Kilt to develop practical kilts with pockets.
“We were able to work with a great group of local suppliers, which was a beautiful experience and also led to a very new palette for Dior,” said Chiuri, who wore an elongated pleated plaid skirt with multiple pockets finished like a carpenter's harness: It is best to bring a cell phone, cigarettes or scissors.
The show also reunited Dior with Scotland. In April 1955, Christian Dior presented a spring/summer collection at a charity ball at Gleneagles, the legendary stately hotel, and at a show in a central Glasgow hotel. Photos from those events (catwalk models dressed in tulle, Monsieur Dior in a white tie gazing delightedly at his creations, or even visitors without tickets standing outside) were photoshopped into punk dungarees, Dior bags, and full coats. And even on the collectible blankets that were handed out to guests when the temperatures dropped before the show.
Chiuri, fashion's greatest feminist creator, also referenced 'Embroidering the Truth', Clare Hunter's cultural biography of Mary Stuart, which shows how Mary wore luxurious fabrics as the future wife of the French Dauphin, or later, in captivity. , embroidered coded messages for his followers. .
“Clare Hunter's book is fascinating in the way it explains Mary's experience in prison with her bridesmaids. Using her “domestic” work of sewing and embroidery to express her own positions. She is a feminist, in the sense of community working to stand up for something,” Chiuri insisted, sitting on a raspberry and orange plaid couch at a backstage preview, before the show.
Chiuri placed adjectives like fierce, difficult, annoying or hysterical on the white or floral corsets the cast wore as they circled Drummond Castle's remarkably beautiful, symmetrical French Renaissance-style garden. The morning of the show, the national newspaper The Scotsman had already published it on the front page, writing: “The (Dior) collection is secretly tighter than a vintage corset.”
Playing on the legacy of Mary Stuart, whose life was divided between France and Scotland, Maria Grazia also commissioned artist Pollyanna Johnson to create a modern portrait, taking up the tradition of illustrated ceramics decorated with portraits from the 16th and 17th centuries.
Born in 1542, Mary became Queen of Scots at the age of six days when her father died suddenly after birth. In 1559, aged just 16, she became queen of France for a year until her husband, King Francis II, died of a brain abscess. Upon returning to Scotland, she was quickly perceived as a threat to the throne of the Protestant Elizabeth I, who imprisoned her in 1568, spending 18 years in various prisons before being executed by beheading.
Although Mary's famous beauty and brains shined rather brightly in this show, with a beautiful evening section of regal lace dresses, sometimes topped with modern trench coats or other times with Finnish fox blousons.
In total, although referring to one of the most romantic tragic queens in history, a collection and a younger, bolder, fresher and sexier vision of Dior. And the most powerful cruise collection in the world this season.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=live
After eight years at Dior, one wonders what else Maria Grazia wants to say in the house?
“I think I want to do whatever I want,” she laughs and adds, “I'm very lucky, because I get to do what I want, which is work with artisans and artists that I want to work with. Employ craftsmen. I respect and help support schools for artisans. This is a fundamental reason why I am very happy at Dior.”
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