Dior couture: Through the looking glass

Maria Grazia evoked childhood fantasy, and innocent memories in her latest collection for the house of Dior, an optimistic vision on the opening day of the Paris haute couture season.

Uninhibited innocence, inspired by “Alice Through the Looking Glass,” led to a collection of great charm and levity, where a good third of the cast wore crinolines – uncovered by any fabric, like bird cages. Another score dressed in bloomers.
 
A fashionable dream staged in an extremely beautiful set, a giant tapestry created artist Rithika Merchant of sacred cows, golden lions, howling wolves and fantasy birdmen.

Built inside a tent within the garden of the Rodin Museum, a hive of activity pre-show as actors Anya Taylor Joy and Alexandra Daddario; K-pop stars Jisoo and Karry Wang; veteran uber models Karlie Kloss and Carla Bruni; and thespian royalty Deva Cassel, Vincent’s daughter, sent paparazzi into a feeding frenzy.
 
Calm restored, the cast appeared, led out by a knowing schoolgirl in a great opener: a tulle mini skirt embroidered with black feathers worn with a beautiful redingote finished with flowers and brambles made of goose feathers.
 
Rarely in couture has a collection been so dreamy and transparent – tulle chemises; lace-encrusted mesh tops; silvery lace minis, albeit paired with a white gentleman’s jacquard frack.
 
“We began with Alice’s mirror and entered another world. Just like the atelier where anything can be created, any experiments tried. So, this collection was a beautiful voyage, at a time when I enjoy delving into fashion history,” explained Chiuri in a pre-show preview. 
 
Whispery light, but not devoid of some noble tailoring, especially some elegant coats – drawing inspiration from the “Trapèze” line conceived for Dior in 1958 by the young Yves Saint Laurent. Seen in a series of manteau made in beige faille, encrusted with lace, or trompe l’oeil fur, both inevitably, worn with bloomers or lace-trimmed tulle culottes. 

See catwalk

While the “Cigale” silhouette – designed by Monsieur Dior for the autumn/winter 1952-1953 haute couture line – was reproposed in the original moiré fabrics, though in a tiny wee skirt paired with a fitted tailcoat, accentuating the contrasting proportions. 
 
Characters like Time, Lady Ascot or Queen Elsemere suggested in fantasy open crinolines reduced to bouffant ruffled skirts, and worn with frilly tops or ivory silk bar jackets.
 
“A garment is like creating your own home. This season with very, very light materials. Often not. expensive fabrics that become through hand work something valuable and refined,” Maria Grazia stressed.
 
The Italian couturier playing on the idea of sartorial memory, in this spring/summer 2025 couture collection, and evoking the creativity of previous centuries, and decades within Dior. Lewis Carroll’s girls reinvented for the 21st century, though in a much more somber palette than that seen in the James Bobin’s 2016 movie version. Made in ecru, white, beige, butter and nude.
 
“Whoever puts on color wants to be seem, which is why I am not so attracted to them. Animals pick colors for the same reason,” sniffed Maria Grazia. 
 
Worn by a cast finished with poetic punk rock mohawks with little petals, a look Maria Grazia claimed she used to wear when going to her first fashion studios as a young woman in Rome.
 
Summing her thinking, Chiuri concluded: “I love the unconscious quality of children. Reality does not slow them down. Personally, I am happy when a woman finds her designer who works for her. But what gives me the most happiness is the research in fashion and its creation.”