Dior Pre-Fall 2023
Dior Pre-Fall 2023
By: Emma Greene
Christian Dior presented an astounding 99 looks at their Pre-Fall 2023 show on Thursday, March 30 in Mumbai, India. The collection represented harmony between cultures while challenging traditions and merging the dress codes of night and day.
The collection served as a nod to Creative Director Maria Grazia Chiuri’s connection to India as well as Dior’s Pre-Fall show in 1962, which also took place in Mumbai.
Featuring a wide range of colors from neutrals to the rich jewel tones of traditional Indian styles, the show merged both French and Indian influences to create a cohesive yet eccentric, eye-catching season of ready-to-wear styles.
The show took place at the Gateway of India, a historic site which once served as a symbol of colonialism and now represents India’s freedom, as it was the final location of British troops before the country gained its independence in 1947.
Each piece presented was created in collaboration with Chanakya Atelier in Mumbai. The artistic director of Chanakya Atelier, Karishma Swali, is a longtime friend and colleague of Chiuri, as the two have collaborated on over 50 Dior collections since their meeting in 1992.
Together, Chiuri and Swali founded the Chanakya School of Craft in 2015. The school educates women on old-age sewing techniques, granting them a unique skill set that they can then utilize within the atelier. Chanakya Atelier is responsible for creating the pieces in this collection.
Several looks throughout the show spotlighted the women’s advanced abilities. Looks 6 and 53 featured golden zardozi, the technique of embroidering with metallic thread. In look 53, stitches of gold were used to create a grid of crystal-like mirrors.
Look 6 displayed another zardozi technique that is more common in traditional Indian styles.
The silk seen in look 68 was created using old block printing techniques, in which small sections of fabric are printed by hand in one or multiple layers, depending on the level of detail and colors involved.
Swali and Chiuri sought to take a modern twist on techniques as well as gender norms in this collection. Several looks were inspired by traditionally male pieces, as seen in the longer button-up shirts of several looks.
As comfort is an important aspect of Chiuri’s design process, the collection also featured looks which blur the line between day and nighttime wear.
The pajama-like look 39 incorporates flora and fauna native to the show’s destination, such as tigers, peacocks, and native shrubbery into an intricate pattern. This motif was seen in several other looks throughout the show.
The Pre-Fall 2023 collection by Christian Dior was a testament to the power of collaboration and cultural exchange. The show served as a celebration of both the brand and atelier’s creativity and ability to use their past to bring the industry forward.
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