Maria Grazia Chiuri has helmed Dior for a year now, and the brand has seen some distinct changes in that time period. In the past, fashionistas knew Dior mainly for show-stopping ball gowns. While critics love old school couture Dior, the marketplace wants ready to wear pieces. Chiuri’s direction has led Dior into a new era of more consumer-friendly fashion. Dior’s SS18 collection was full of wearable designs aimed at a younger clientele. These are a few of our favorite pieces.
Chiuri’s muse for this collection was French sculptress Niki de Saint Phalle. The French artist and noted feminist’s style was present in both the collection’s aesthetics and its tone. Each of Chiuri’s designs felt feminine and strong, accented with punches of color and pattern. To prepare the audience for the runway show’s main motif, each audience member was given a copy of Linda Nochlin’s 1971 feminist essay, “Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?” This question was also posed to the audience via a striped graphic tee worn by one of the runway models.
Denim
Dior sent some gorgeous denim looks down the runway. Chiuri’s wide-legged, trouser-style jeans were reminiscent of styles popular in the 70s, as were the denim caps sported by many of the models. We also loved the slightly patchwork denim blazer paired with the denim fringe skirt.
Stripes of All Colors and Sizes
While the collection featured a variety of bold geometric patterns, the stripes were the stand-out. Sporty stripes modernized sheer dresses and stuffy collared blouses. Graphic red stripes even made an appearance in the collection’s glittering evening wear.
Branded Accessories
Under Chiuri’s direction, the fashion house has released a number of visibly branded pieces. While some critics are dismayed by an illustrious fashion house deigning to make graphic tees, the pieces from Chiuri’s last collection, especially the “We Should All Be Feminists” tee, sold extremely well. She seems to clearly see what the market wants. The SS18 collection featured numerous accessories sporting the Dior branding, in one way or another. We still appreciate the new J’ADIOR slogan, so the black clutch is a favorite.
How do you feel about Dior’s new look and feel? Do you wish the fashion house would go back to its roots of glamour and gowns? Or are you fully on board with this woke new aesthetic? While we adore vintage Dior, we are very excited to see where Maria Grazia Chiuri leads the brand in the future. If you want more looks from SS18, check out the pieces we loved from Tom Ford here.
