The Thread Of Excellence

The thread of excellence

From 30 Avenue Montaigne to the Hebrides by way of Dumfries and Galloway, a captivating dialogue between France and Scotland, woven by Maria Grazia Chiuri for the Dior cruise 2025 collection, was expressed through collaborations showcasing the formidable plurality of traditional Scottish savoir-faire. A seemingly preordained encounter, led by creativity, excellence and passion. By Mathilda Panigada.

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“From one county to the next, emblems and customs met and intermingled as looks succeeded one another.”

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By choosing Scotland as Dior’s most recent port of call in its odyssey of cruise shows, Maria Grazia Chiuri reaffirmed her desire to create new connections between world cultures through (re)readings of the House’s heritage. Fascinated by the diversity of the country’s textile heritage – shaped by its traditions, myths and geographical specificities – the Creative Director of Dior’s women’s collections wished to highlight a place of myriad fantasies.

An abundance of shared knowledge came to life as the first silhouettes were revealed within the majestic gardens of Drummond Castle. Unmistakably, tartan reigned supreme. A fabric woven from multiple threads of history, often associated with the clans that forged the visage and legend of Scotland, it is also a symbol of belonging and dissent. Here, its crisscrossed checks draped over a series of corseted dresses, belted jacket suits, reinvented crinolines and casual jackets, elevating them with an irresistibly posh charm.

That creative canvas was transcribed thanks to the expertise at Harris Tweed Hebrides, whose robust woollen fabrics alone represent part of Scotland’s sartorial richness, relaying its communities’ stories and customs. Made using centuries-old techniques, these are the sole fabrics subject to specific legislation – the Harris Tweed Act of 1993 – designated by a distinctive seal: the orb. A sacred seal of authenticity, it attests to meticulous respect for the manufacturing process: after being dyed and spun, pure virgin wool fibres are then handwoven on mechanical looms by craftspeople located exclusively in the Outer Hebrides.

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^*Thanks to this structure, the company controls the entire manufacturing process of its creations.

The textile-based novel of transmissions and transgressions, and of celebration, continues to be written with Johnstons of Elgin. Founded in 1797 and renowned for its tweeds, the house also specializes in knitwear. Its historic Elgin workshop is one of the country’s last entirely vertically integrated factories^*, in which the company produces yarn from raw material, then weaves, dyes and transforms it into clothing. For the show, the company created a sweater featuring the Argyle motif, whose iconic diamond shapes were underscored by virtuoso cut-outs. In the precious Johnstons of Elgin archives, Maria Grazia Chiuri also noticed a map of Scotland dating to the 1930s, transposed onto a plaid using a unique process combining knitting and embroidery.

From one county to the next, emblems and customs met and intermingled as looks succeeded one another. In Dumfries and Galloway, the Creative Director initiated an unprecedented dialogue with Esk Cashmere. Based on the eastern bank of the River Annan, that family-run business works with cashmere and Shetland yarns, exploring variations on classic stitches and patterns, notably the celebrated Fair Isle. Originating on the island for which it is named, this vivid, saturated design was embellished with colours that reflect the enchanting hues of the land, sea and natural elements in the archipelago’s vernacular. From this encounter came a sleeveless sweater with hypnotic graphics borrowed from a patch displaying a photograph of the sumptuous charity ball held at the Gleneagles Hotel, where Christian Dior revealed 172 models from his spring-summer 1955 collection.

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“Every season, tartan returns in models that are always young and cheerful. (...) The traditional fabric is that of kilts, with authentic patterns and colours.”

– Christian Dior

At Maria Grazia Chiuri’s invitation, the young British designer Samantha McCoach, founder of the label Le Kilt, created an original skirt that revisited the archetype of Scottish dress. Made in partnership with Lochcarron of Scotland – one of the last remaining textile mills in the Scottish Borders – in a tweed blending wild green, stone grey and peat brown tones, it featured raw edges that reflected the timeless garment’s punk side, conveying both its formal spirit and its undeniably subversive character. A singular reinterpretation, enhanced by patches depicting the 1955 fashion show, thus perpetuating both the memory of that seminal moment in Dior’s history and the ties that bind the House, France and Scotland.

Like exquisite details, accessories in turn bore the imprint of artisanal prestige; for example, the traditional Balmoral wool hat was revisited in knit, the fruit of a collaboration between Stephen Jones and Robert Mackie, a company founded in 1845. An ultra-contemporary interpretation of that emblem – worn first by Scottish regiments from the 16^th century, and later as a fashion statement – this piece was distinguished by a perfectly formed, one-piece cap, a knitted hatband and an iconic pompom applied by hand as a marvellous finishing touch. An incredible collective musical score, at the heart of which shined all the power and textile excellence of Scotland.

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