IN THE PATIO, SECOND FLOOR: TRABAJADORES, FRESCO BY JOSÉ CLEMENTE OROZCO, 1926. ON THE WALL BEHIND THE STAIRCASE: LA FIESTA DEL SEÑOR DE CHALMA, FRESCO BY FERNANDO LEAL, 1922-1923 © XIMENA DEL VALLE

Mexican
poetry

A constellation of points that stir emotion. A “place of the spirit” for Maria Grazia Chiuri, Mexico was the setting for this spring’s Dior cruise 2024 show. A marvellous, timeless interlude illuminated by the power of art and exceptional craftsmanship.

COLEGIO DE SAN ILDEFONSO © ADRIEN DIRAND

A timeless interlude alive with the power of art and exceptional craftsmanship.

Reflecting the collection’s inspirations – and echoing ties forged with Mexico since the House’s earliest days – the Antiguo Colegio de San Ildefonso offered a privileged backdrop for the Dior cruise 2024 défilé. A space at the junction of love and creation, where Frida Kahlo studied and, later, met Diego Rivera. In a vibrant ode to the freedom of being, thinking and becoming that lives on in those personalities as well as this site, models walked one by one through the courtyard before returning upstairs to the second floor. From the chiaroscuro of those iconic balconies and until the dazzling finale, they were framed by arches, embodying the power of the collective and evoking the resilience and pride of Mexican women.

Like a tribute to Frida Kahlo’s unique character, the looks mirrored the many facets of her identity in a wardrobe blending masculine and feminine. An allure that fuses heritage and audacity, transcending genre and honouring artisanal Mexican savoir-faire. A recurring motif and a poetic symbol of the mystery of metamorphosis, the butterfly punctuated silhouettes in couture embroidery, enchanting prints and singular accessories, from jewellery to shoes. Full skirts unfurled into corollas worn with tunic-like huipils or a gabán poncho, a passionate hymn to the pluralistic virtuosity of ancestral techniques.

Reaffirming her ardent support of feminist art, Maria Grazia Chiuri invited Elina Chauvet to dream up a performance, set to a traditional love ballad, especially for this event. The artist and a group of sixteen embroiderers reprised an iteration of her project Confianza, an original version entitled A Corazón Abierto – in English, “open heart”. Using as a base twenty white toile dresses from the Dior archives, made in the House’s ateliers in Paris, they affixed words and emblems – all sewn in red cotton thread – composing a new chapter in the poignant collaboration that closed the show under an almost magical, cathartic rain shower. Through its energy and emotion, this intense work expressed the Creative Director’s steadfast commitment.

With a galaxy of dreamworlds, Dior celebrates its enduring fascination for the beauty of Mexican culture.

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Mexican
poetry