Dior Decrees Gladiator Sandals And Jersey Are The Combo Of The Summer
Olympics fever has well and truly taken hold in Paris, where this year’s Games are set to kick off in just over a month. The excitement has reached even the highest echelons of society, if the number of sports references at the various fashion shows and events held over the past few weeks are anything to go by.
Now, Maria Grazia Chiuri has shown that even the hallowed halls of Dior haven’t remained untouched by the upcoming event. The powerhouse designer unveiled her latest Haute Couture collection for the Parisian fashion house yesterday, inspired by ‘athletes whom, from antiquity to the present day, have overcome prejudice and obstacles to ensure a level playing field in sports contests,’ according to the house. The likes of Jennifer Lopez, Jisoo Kim, Venus Williams and Doja Cat made up a star-studded front row.
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Against a backdrop of installations designed and inspired by the late, great artist and activist Faith Ringgold, models took to the runway in a series of delicate yet powerful goddess-like gowns that referenced classical statuary. Traditional Ancient Greek and Roman peplos and chiton garments were reimagined in lustrous silks, innovative skirt-slash-trouser silhouettes, and draped over sheer, embellished bodysuits to give the athletic staple an elevated couture twist.
‘It’s not specifically a collection about the Olympics,’ explained Chiuri backstage ahead of the show. ‘Rather, it’s about body, sport and performance… I’m interested in how clothing affects the performance of the person who wears it.’
In keeping with the ancient athletic aesthetic, knee-high gladiator sandals graced the feet of every model walking the show – an unusually accessible breakout trend from couture that will no doubt filter down to our own summer wardrobes.
But the most surprising aspect of all was Chiuri’s use of jersey in the collection. ‘Normally jersey is an elastic material used in ready-to-wear,’ explained Chiuri backstage. ‘We’ve never used it before for couture. It has a sense of lightness but also functionality. It’s very experimental for us.’
It was the fabric’s historic associations with freedom that appealed the most, she said. ‘In ’20s Paris, when the first modern Olympics were held, it was difficult for women to be a part of sport. The Industrial Revolution brought knitwear and jersey which changed the shape of clothes – and gave freedom.’
‘Mr Dior built the body, like an architect,’ continued Chiuri. ‘I never want to build the body. My approach is completely different. He wanted to give a silhouette. My work is about deconstruction, about lightness and comfort.’
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