For Maria Grazia Chiuri, Mexico is a constellation of places that awaken emotions. It also represents a “place of the soul”, as it was for surrealist artists such as Leonora Carrington, Remedios Varo, and Tina Modotti, who captured the landscapes and people of Mexico through their photographs. For her part, the iconic figure of Frida Kahlo continues to offer a powerful connection to this culture and is celebrated at the heart of this Dior Cruise 2024 collection.
Reflecting the sources of inspiration for the collection and as a tribute to the ties established with Mexico since Maison’s inception, the Antiguo Colegio de San Ildefonso served as a privileged setting for the Dior Cruise 2024 show. A symbolic space, the very locus of creation and of love, where Frida Kahlo studied and where she met Diego Rivera… A magical moment, transcending time, alive with the power of art and exceptional craftsmanship.
Maria Grazia Chiuri was inspired by photographs of Frida Kahlo breaking the rules of gender boundaries. From the age of nineteen, Frida wore a three-piece masculine suit, transgressing her femininity to claim above all intellectual independence. The suits thus pay homage to her style while, in counterpoint, echoing Tehuana custom, the full skirts are worn with a traditional tunic: the huipil. For this new line, presented in Mexico City, Maria Grazia Chiuri has once again established strong ties with local artisans and the respective expertise shines through with original embroideries, co-creations carried out with her ateliers, notably adorning dresses and shirts.
A pink dress reminiscent of the one worn by Frida Kahlo in one of her self-portraits is featured. The captivating beauty of fragility is further enhanced by the variety of selected cotton, hemp, and silk lace, the meticulous collar designs that sublimate the jersey and black velvet, and the butterfly jacquards. Velvet is revisited in a fascinating palette of colors in skirts that, thanks to their pleats, enhance the hips. Butterflies also populate the Toile de Jouy, illustrating Mexican flora and fauna alongside parrots, monkeys, and wildflowers that also illuminate Frida Kahlo’s paintings.
