Maria Grazia Chiuri honored three figures of French history in Dior’s Autumn/Winter Womenswear Collection
Creative Director Maria Grazia Chiuri has a knack for history. Her collection either pays homage to a figure in the past or a fashion that was once the fad—there is always a point of tribute done with a modern tone. With an eye for taking bits and pieces of the iconic days of fashion to form a collection versatile for any woman anywhere in the world, we can say that fashion continues to be a language many embrace with confidence. It’s a concept Maria Grazia Chiuri often ventures in and it’s refreshing to see how Dior turns its knobs to create past trends into contemporary pieces with their Parisian codes.
Taking the spotlight in Dior’s Winter/Autumn womenswear collection are three notable figures in the realm of Paris. These women are known for their brave actions, as well as their contribution in their respective industry despite the discrimination it entails as women in the 50s. The collection explores the past of Catherine Dior, Edith Piaf, and Juliette Gréco—women who made their mark in their respective industries with their independent spirit.
The women
The profile starts with Christian Dior’s sister, Catherine Dior, a heroic figure in their history for her contribution to the French Resistance. It was the time when Catherine and Christian moved back to Provence due to the invasion and found themselves selling vegetables in Cannes. Though Catherine was also a supporter of the former president of France, Charles de Gaulle, her life took a turn as she fell in love with Hervé des Charbonneries whom she joined with to assist the Resistance network between the British and Polish.
The heroine continued on with her work with the French Resistance as she moved to live with Christian in Paris. Unfortunately, Catherine was then captured and was constantly moved to various concentration camps that mostly held women. She then made her escape in April 1945 during a march near Dresden and made it back to Paris in late May to be welcomed by her brother. To this day, the house continues to pay tribute to Catherine with their fragrance, Miss Dior.
The next figure is the singer behind the famous French song, “La Vie En Rose,” Edith Giovanna Gassion or more commonly known as Edith Piaf. While she sang the song of seeing life with rose-colored glasses, her past wasn’t exactly a life lived in pink. Her style in singing reflected the difficult life she once lived—starting with her mother leaving her with her grandmother, which caused Edith to work in a brothel.
Her life went on as she accompanied her father as he worked in a circus while she sang in the streets of Paris and was left in the company of shabby criminals. She also gave birth to her daughter who sadly passed away after two years due to meningitis. But her life headed for a new direction when she was hired to sing in a cabaret, where she earned the term la môme piaf,which translates to little sparrow.
Edith’s career catapulted to new heights as she made her debut in the theater scene and in a few years time, she was already singing the majestic music halls of Paris. She then explored her own music as songwriters would produce songs for the singer. And though Edith lived a short life, many people would often play her songs of love and loss until today.
The last figure is also a French singer, Juliette Gréco, known for her personification of the existential movement through her work. In a way, her life was similar to Catherine when she was on the way to meet her sister near La Madeleine church in Bergerac, France, but was unfortunately arrested by the Gestapo. She was held in a small cell and was even interrogated—this was the moment in her life where she decided to fight against oppression and intellectual terrorism.
Juliette was sent to a women’s prison and was released a few months later, only to travel back alone to Saint-Germain-des-Prés. However, the singer would often find herself back to the spot where survivors from various camps would arrive to see if either her mother or sister were there, and lo and behold, her sister came looking frail and thin.
The two then ventured into the world of music and poetry as they joined fellow poets to read and discuss the new form of theater. Juliette formed her own voice in poetry and was commended for her unbothered demeanor. This would only open her career to various opportunities as she landed her first meeting with a composer and her emergence in the film industry. A soul that valued freedom and individuality, Juliette was viewed as a figure from the lost generation and became one of the last great chanteuses when she died in 2020.
The collection
Three women who experienced great loss in their lives yet prevailed in the end as the world embraced them with such love—there’s no denying that Maria Grazia Chiuri made the right choice when creating her collection. We see the fight for love amidst the dark in her Autumn/Winter collection.
It starts with a rather casual line of ensembles finished in the darker spectrum of neutrals as seen on the A-line and maxi skirts, as well as the simple button-downs and pared down outerwear—it’s as if Chiuri was recalling the early days of these three women.
Though in the second half, the same shade of neutrals were consistent, but with an introduction of laidback coats and relaxed trousers. This was a nod to the transition of fashion for women as they slowly incorporated menswear in their daily ensembles.
The collection then took a turn as prints and patterns made their way, still in the same neutral palette. But there was a sense of comfort and confidence as prints were matched with florals, and see-through coordinates showed the sultry patterns of the bralette.
Florals prints, plaid patterns, and knitwear suddenly bloomed into vivid hues as reds, yellows, greens, and purples decorated the pieces—as if life was breathed into the collection after the series of neutrals.
To sum it up, neutrals still remain, but finished with a tone of tranquility. We also see the resemblance of the silhouettes of the vivid pieces finished with hues of blues and embellishments decorated the next few pieces. Lastly, a line of black dresses made their way down to finally close the show—a beautiful ending to showcase the lives that celebrated what it meant to be a woman of bravery and perseverance.
To further celebrate the spirit of femininity and fearlessness, the house invited women who have been making their mark in their respective industries, which consisted of Dior’s global ambassador Jisoo of BLACKPINK, the face of J’adore Charlize Theron, and Filipino style-setter Heart Evangelista.
Photos from DIOR via website
The post This Collection is a Love Letter to Femininity appeared first on MEGA.
This Collection is a Love Letter to Femininity
Source: Insta News Pinoy
0 Comments