Paris-New York,
Berlin-Brooklyn

“To all my questions, it was the city of New York itself which gave the best answer by appearing on the horizon at dawn, radiant in the glory of its Indian summer. The zest for life and the self-confidence of the whole nation were perfectly conveyed by those thousand upward-pointing obelisks. I was carried away by my enthusiasm.” Christian Dior thus described his awe at discovering the Manhattan skyline for the first time in September 1947, a few months after the triumph of the emblematic New Look, whose New York model already praised the city that never sleeps. In that vertical city, the architecture aficionado saw infinite creative power. On April 15^th, 2024, Maria Grazia Chiuri perpetuated that American dream and mutual fascination by presenting the Dior Fall 2024 women’s collection in the centre of Brooklyn. In a remarkable scenography developed for this unique event, the works of Suzanne Santoro – herself a native of that New York borough – and the Claire Fontaine collective – founded in Paris in 2004 – embodied the indelible link(s) between the two metropolises, the arts and fashion. Their compelling installations, combining a variety of fields of action – from photography to neon lights – interacted marvellously at the Brooklyn Museum: a range of possibilities, in the name of female empowerment.

The bridge between the two cultures was Marlene Dietrich, a Dior loyalist both onscreen and off. A major inspiration for Maria Grazia Chiuri for this tribute show, in which the House’s signature silhouette merged with the divine diva and her boyish allure. With wide-legged, pleated pants and pencil skirts, the Fifties leapt into the future like a dazzling reset. Models brought to life a captivating wardrobe that the charismatic actress might have worn in 2024, as reinvented in the Creative Director’s virtuoso imagination. From Berlin to Brooklyn, and Paris to Broadway, the looks channelled the inimitable presence of Marlene Dietrich, the iconic trendsetter. Suits put a new twist on tweed or tailcoats; velvet evening gowns with swirling reflections echoed a neo-cabaret glamour. From ensembles magnifying a sportswear attitude to a superb leather triptych – among them the seamless pea coat with an  Eiffel Tower motif lining that opened the show – these exceptional creations affirmed the irresistibly hybrid facet of a masculine-feminine, Paris-New York, ultra-contemporary timeless attire.

As for accessories, the hat and tie^* combo was the perfect pairing for white shirts, while gloves in suede calfskin embroidered with bees seemed to flit over the hands or were punctuated with embroidered fringe, personifying the “movement of life” Monsieur Dior cherished. From the Dior Book Tote to the Lady Dior, bags at times played the card of quintessential, minimalist elegance, and at others featured key influences – for example in a fusion of the French and American flags. Meanwhile, shoes (platform or lace-up espadrilles) delightfully reflected Marlene Dietrich’s avant-garde dualities, from the Riviera to Hollywood. An ode to Dior’s effervescent, eternally revived audacity.