Celebrating the many connections between savoir-faire all around the world. Taking a fresh look at traditions through a contemporary reading of heritage. For the Dior Cruise 2023 line, Maria Grazia Chiuri chose Seville as her new destination, a new source of inspiration(s). Fascinated by the creative richness of this multicultural city, the Creative Director of Dior women’s collections wished to recount the present in light of the past, through a passionate dialogue poised at the crossroads of specialized crafts, illuminating a unifying, universal idea of fashion. A study in memory, and a manifesto of modernity.

With a heritage shaped by multiple journeys – from China to the Philippines, Spain and Latin America – the Manila shawl, conceived using a Chinese embroidery technique, demonstrates craftsmanship’s role as a global language, summing up the spirit of the collection. The savoir-faire behind this Andalusian emblem is perpetuated within the secrecy of the Ángeles Espinar’s workshop, thanks to the skills of three generations of women. For the Dior Cruise 2023 show, a series of shawls was specially handmade in collaboration with this atelier, combining traditional embroidery and Dior codes.

Inseparable from Andalusian equestrian arts, leather reveals precious finishes. For this Cruise collection, Maria Grazia Chiuri collaborated with Javier Menacho Guisado to revisit Dior’s iconic bags using his prodigious techniques. The Saddle was clad in a flecked motif stitched along its edges and on the centre of its handles, while dots made using a belt stand in for the emblematic cannage on the Lady Dior. Equally meticulous and hypnotic, such craftsmanship is also revealed in an exalted conversation, initiated by Maria Grazia Chiuri, between Pietro Ruffo and the leatherworker Daniel López-Obrero Carmona. The Roman artist’s illustrations are displayed on panels of painted leather decorating a trunk designed to hold an Andalusian saddle and other equestrian accessories. Revisiting the centuries-old tradition of Córdoba leatherwork, the artisan’s remarkable dexterity also is showcased on several bags.

Precious flashes of brilliance, illuminating a look with a singular aura, jewellery struck up a conversation between Sevillian heritage and that of the House. Perpetuating age-old techniques of metal ornamentation – essentially applied to parures dedicated to religious ceremonies – Orfebrería Ramos and the Creative Director imagined a complete line of jewellery inspired by the Rose de Granville, a tender homage to the founding couturier.