The first Cruise season since the pandemic has taken the fashion set from Monaco to San Diego, from medieval castles to the New York Stock Exchange. The latest stop on this whirlwind world tour was Seville, Spain, where Maria Grazia Chiuri staged her latest outing for Christian Dior last night. A designer who never does things by half-measures, Chiuri’s runway extravaganza began with a live dance performance featuring a live orchestra and a stirring flamenco performance that featured more than 40 dancers.
The Plaza de Espana, a sprawling, palace-like landmark dating back to the 1920s, was then transformed into a runway lined with roses. Dior unveiled a robust, 110-look collection that was chock full of homages to Spain’s sartorial history, from equestrian motifs to flamenco-inspired dresses, much of the collection finished in a decidedly Spanish palette of reds, blacks, golds, and creams. The collection’s starting point was Carmen Amaya, often referred to as “the world’s greatest flamenco dancer”, who became famous as the first woman to master complicated footwork that had previously only been achieved by men. Amaya was also the first female flamenco dancer to wear men’s clothing, a fact that delighted and inspired Chiuri. “They called her La Capitana—a great name! She went to Paris and became very famous,” she told press backstage.
This experimentation with masculine tailoring was evident from the outset, with the opening look including a white vest, sharp black trousers, suspenders, and leather brogues, finished with an oversized woven cape. This paved the way for more feminine suiting, courtesy of sharp bolero jackets and matador-style trousers, finished in a delicious shade of cream and finessed with delicate black lace overlays. Those hard/soft dichotomies continued throughout the collection, where a sex-fuelled leather ensemble was shortly followed by a demure ivory creation in head-to-toe lace. Highlights included off-the-shoulder taffeta evening gowns that evoked the timeless silhouettes of women’s flamenco dresses.
Perhaps most impressive was Chiuri’s commitment to celebrating the work of local artisans. She spent months in Spain sourcing and collaborating with embroiderers, hat-makers, and leather craftsman. The headwear, including Corobodes hats lined with black silk, was overseen by Stephen Jones and made by the Spanish atelier Fernandez Y Roche. The chic embroidered shawls and capes were crafted by a Spanish artisan named Maria Jose Sanchez Espinar. A local metal-working company that specialises in religious statues was tapped to produce intricate gold earrings, as well as delicate pieces that adorned the collar of shirts or the bodices of dresses. All told, it was a moving love letter to the south of Spain, from start to finish.
