| From childhood, Christian Dior cultivated a fervent love for the art of escapism and faraway lands. Although his destiny as a couturier later would take him on unforgettable journeys, his enthusiasm for the richness of world cultures was evident from his very first show, in 1947. In the salons of 30 Avenue Montaigne, he unveiled a lemon and violet summer dress named Mexico, sparking a lasting friendship with that captivating country. Subsequent collections included Acapulco, Soirée à Mexico and Mexique, a tulle dress embroidered with golden scales created for autumn-winter 1951. In 1950, Christian Dior’s relationship with Mexico took a new turn when he signed an exclusive contract with the department store El Palacio de Hierro. An emblematic address in Mexico City, the store reproduced for its customers a wardrobe designed by the couturier. Success was immediate, and the aura of Dior style shone on the other side of the Atlantic. In November 1954, the Mexican store welcomed six of the House’s Parisian models, who had embarked on a three-month tour of Latin America to present the H line designed for the autumn-winter 1954 season. |
| At the same time, the House could count on the support of an ambassador of distinction: María Félix. An ardent admirer of Dior elegance, both in life and onscreen, the actress wore the Batignolles ensemble and the Vol au Vent dress in Doña Diabla (The Devil Is a Woman, 1950), the Mendelssohn dress in La Pasión Desnuda (Naked Passion, 1953) and Caravane in La fièvre monte à El Pao (Fever Mounts at El Pao, 1959). At the 1959 Venice Film Festival, she wore the Exotique gown designed by Yves Saint Laurent for Dior. |
A marvellous getaway, celebrating the precious ties Dior has forged with Mexico.
| Over the decades, the bonds between this precious culture and the house of Dior have continued to be forged. In 1972, on the occasion of French Week in Mexico City, two presentations of the autumn-winter haute couture collection by Marc Bohan took place in the heart of the Hotel Camino Real to benefit the charity Aldeas Infantiles SOS de México I.A.P. In 1980, the odyssey continued with the spring-summer 1981 ready-to-wear and haute couture shows at the Casino del Bosque, a charitable event hosted by Marc Bohan. This powerful friendship is expressed in all fields of art and creation, from music and painting to gastronomy. In that spirit, Dior has lent its support to numerous exhibitions in Mexico, as well as to a concert by the French pianist Aldo Ciccolini, accompanied by the Mexico City Philharmonic Orchestra. In November 1987, at the invitation of the Televisa television channel, Dior staged a benefit at the Hotel Las Brisas to mark the closing of the Acapulco International Film Festival, featuring 100 models and a backdrop depicting the façade of 30 Avenue Montaigne. Filmed in its entirety and broadcast the next day, it helped seal Dior’s prestige in Mexico. In 1988, the restaurant Fouquet’s at the Hotel Camino Real served dishes from the cookbook La cuisine cousu-main (Tailor-Made Cuisine), published by Christian Dior. |
| While Marc Bohan punctuated the spring-summer 1966 haute couture collection with Mexican-influenced prints, decades later John Galliano highlighted the country’s creative richness in the autumn-winter 2002 haute couture show, which was steeped in references gleaned from his travels between Los Angeles and Mexico. The country’s vast heritage was also reinterpreted by Maria Grazia Chiuri for the Dior cruise 2019 line. “When I discovered escaramuzas – a form of sorority for equestriennes who have claimed the right to compete in traditional Mexican rodeos, on an equal footing with men – I thought they could be a very interesting point of reference in my search for inspiring, powerful women,” the Creative Director recounts. Presented in the Great Stables at the Domaine de Chantilly, the show featured a series of outfits composed of extravagant, full skirts worn with slim-fitting jackets, and ethereal dresses embellished with embroidery, lace and irresistibly graphic designs. That wardrobe was studded with borrowings from the equestrian world, such as straw hats adorned with embroidered ribbons, wide belts accentuating the waist and multiple variations of the Saddle, evoking the riding accessory’s curves. |
| Today, a new chapter joins the story that unites Dior and Mexico. For the Dior cruise 2024 collection, the House pays unprecedented tribute to the diverse cultural heritage of a cherished country by choosing Mexico City as its dream locale. A show-as-manifesto, guided by the figure of Frida Kahlo, whose independent, avant-garde and courageous spirit inspired Maria Grazia Chiuri to create looks reflecting the Mexican artist’s pluralistic identity. Set within the Antiguo Colegio de San Ildefonso, audacious and poetic silhouettes mirrored the Creative Director’s desire to celebrate the many ancestral practices and skills perpetuated by local communities. A wondrous escape to discover new creative horizons, reinforcing the ties with Mexico that have endured since Dior’s very first show, in 1947. |
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