Passionate, nonconformist, and intense, the Mexican painter Frida Kahlo (1907-1954) is one of the most important artists of the 20th century. A cult figure, her image and style have been immortalized by the lenses of photographers, artists, and fashion designers, all captivated by her life and personality. This year, the Dior Cruise collection is inspired by the Mexican artist, and the Grand Palais Immersif in Paris is hosting one of the most anticipated exhibitions dedicated to Frida, on view until March 2025.
There will be much talk of Frida Kahlo this year, as it marks seventy years since her death. Born three years before the Mexican Revolution—though Frida preferred to say she was born in 1910, driven by her strong independence, rebellious and passionate character, and so that people could associate her directly with modern Mexico—the artist has inspired and continues to inspire all those who are somehow connected to the creative act, regardless of the discipline.
Dior extends this connection to Frida Kahlo and everything the artist ever represented through its Dior Cruise 2024 collection. Maria Grazia Chiuri, who designs the haute couture, prêt-à-porter, and women’s accessories collections for the French maison, drew inspiration from photographs of Frida Kahlo and collaborated with local artisans, bringing the pieces to life with embroidery, including dresses and shirts.
Transcending gender boundaries, the Mexican artist dared to make clothing a symbol of protest and assertion. At the age of 19, Frida donned a three-piece men’s suit, transgressing her femininity to claim independence, above all intellectual. As such, the suits in the Dior Cruise 2024 collection pay homage to her style, in harmony with the Tehuana dress, the flared skirts worn with the traditional huipil tunic, the jewelry, the butterflies, the colors, and the patterns. Cotton lace, hemp, and silk, jersey and velvet collars, also seen in the pleated skirts that announce generous hips, among other details, celebrate Frida’s fragility and unique beauty.
The generosity of a life full of experience
Marked by physical suffering from a very young age—first, poliomyelitis contracted at the age of 5, and later, a severe traffic accident that forced her to undergo more than thirty surgeries—Frida Kahlo painted many of her works lying in bed. Of more than a hundred, 55 are self-portraits, in which her physical and psychological wounds are expressed.
The wife of the famous Mexican painter Diego Rivera, whom she met at a very young age—and her main mentor—Frida Kahlo lived most of her life in the Blue House. The family home, now a museum, welcomed many artists and celebrities, but also curious visitors, attracted by her intimate world and the relationship between the two painters. Since its opening in July 1958, the Blue House has exhibited personal objects and paintings by Frida and Diego, folk art, pre-Columbian sculptures, photographs, documents, books, and furniture.
Continuing this narrative, the Grand Palais Immersif in Paris opens the exhibition Frida Kahlo: ¡Viva la Vida! on September 18th this year—on view until March 2nd, 2025. Already considered one of the most anticipated exhibitions of 2024, it pays tribute to the woman and artist through a powerful sensory impact that envelops the visitor through the use of multimedia, via 360° video projections, light, music, and sound effects.
A tribute to the woman and the artist, the first Mexican painter of the 20th century to have a work exhibited at the Louvre, a friend of Pablo Picasso, and an example of resilience and life for current and future generations.
