Dior and Scotland:
Eternal Affinities

By its very essence, thinking of Scotland implies emotions relived and collective images shared from generation to generation. In an instant, one recalls stories heard in childhood, of undulating emerald moors, tartan’s graphic lines, the notes of an iconic bagpipe wafted on the amber ones of whisky, the scent of leather and copper, of days in the rain and evenings by the fire. An awakening of the senses, from sight and touch to smell, conjuring a dream landscape of contrasting light, lingering between fantasy and reality.

That fascinating land inspired Christian Dior to embark on a powerful creative journey. In his very first runway presentation, he showed a black dress finished with a redingote called Écosse, a look imbued with a Gaelic charm that would never cease to beguile him. This was followed by other designs christened Scotland, Édimbourg, Fireside, Plaid and Scottish. A lexicon rich in meaning, tinged with an otherworldliness as exotic as it was familiar. Beyond familiar names, what deeply permeated Monsieur Dior’s collections was that divinely Scottish motif that re-emerged in one creation after the next: checks. Their masculinity, their pure, versatile geometry, the duality of colour that elevates their refinement: for all those attributes, they are a must-have in the Dior wardrobe. The prodigious squared pattern – by turns transformed into an aristocratic Prince of Wales or a timeless tartan – was showcased by Christian Dior in his Little Dictionary of Fashion¹. “I really love checks, which set a youthful tone and add a touch of elegance and casualness. From the earliest days of weaving, checks have been highly prized, and fashion still gives them pride of place,” he wrote, adding: “There are checks for every age and silhouette, from houndstooth in a soft wool or silk for women, to classic tweeds with checks, magnificent for the countryside.”

That love for the very Scottish check reflects the founding-couturier’s attraction to British architecture and tailoring, and to the masculine fabrics he liked to revisit and feminize. As early as 1947, Christian Dior imagined a “Grognard travel coat in reversible grey tartan wool”, as described in his press materials². In a well-metred poetry of elegance, he punctuated his creations with tartan here and there, at times in a play of inside-out linings, at others with formidable total looks. Whether for their motifs or materials, those textiles – with their precious, multi-faceted, ancestral savoir-faire – instantly convey an attitude. They magnify and sculpt, capture and consecrate the essence of Dior, its codes and signature shades. “It’s probably the only fancy fabric that resists fashion. Every season, tartan returns in models that are always young and cheerful. (...) The traditional fabric is that of kilts, with authentic patterns and colours,” Monsieur Dior concluded.

In a natural prolongation of this fabulous stylistic odyssey, the House of Dior has organized numerous events in Scotland over the years. In 1951, Christian Dior presented his spring-summer line in Perthshire, at a reception organized by Les Amis de France to benefit the Maison Franco-Écossaise. That overseas show presented 81 silhouettes to a prestigious audience. A few years later, in 1955, the couturier repeated the experience, this time revealing no fewer than 172 creations³ at a charity ball held at the Gleneagles Hotel, an exceptional event that was reprised at the Central Hotel in Glasgow.

This passion is also conveyed through playful anecdotes or tender suppositions. It’s hard not to think, for example, of Christian Dior’s dogs – all named Bobby – when recounting the fate of Greyfriars Bobby, Edinburgh’s most loyal companion, who for 14 years remained beside his master’s grave, eliciting the sympathies of passers-by. From its style of dress – a blend of audacity, functionality and tradition – to its art of living, Scottish culture seems to resonate in every way with Monsieur Dior’s destiny and that of his House.

Captivating memories, gleaned like so many treasures from the Dior archives, were an exhilarating source of inspiration for Maria Grazia Chiuri, as was her trip to Edinburgh, during which she discovered, in greater depth, the life and (embroidery) work of Mary, Queen of Scots. The Dior cruise 2025 line found its anchor in a series of photographs of the founding couturier and his models, dating to 1955. Through these touching images, the Creative Director wove a magnificent dialogue between Parisian couture and Scottish culture. A story infused with the emblematic tartan, a symbol Maria Grazia Chiuri loves for its timeless modernity and blend of heritage, reinvention and transgression. Conceiving her collections within a framework that reflects on clothing in light of women’s history, communities and crafts, she has created, through looks with irresistibly punk accents, wonderfully inspiring bridges between customs, excellences and beliefs. A fabulous fabric of legends.