Christian Dior Resort 2018
When designers cite California style as their inspiration, that usually means sun-drenched Laurel Canyon ladies and flowing caftans. It’s an idealized, Fleetwood Mac vision that’s become a signature of SoCal style, even though it’s not entirely accurate. When Christian Dior announced that it would be brining its resort 2018 collection to our fair shores, we expected as much, and thanks to Maria Grazia Chiuri’s visions of Malibu and the canyon, it was a bohemian rhapsody that delighted fans of Dior’s new direction.
Dior resort 2018
“For me, I found it close to L.A.,” Grazia Chiuri told Vogue of Dior’s designs. “You think L.A. and you think Hollywood, Oscars, the red carpet, but honestly I feel people love this place because you feel in contact with the natural elements.”
Guests were escorted to the Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve in Calabasas, where danger lurked around the corner, with warnings of mountain lions and rattlesnakes. When they were seated among hot air balloons and festival-ready tents, Rihanna, Charlize Theron, Solange Knowles, and Miranda Kerr sat back for a collection that drew from tarot, magic, and Georgia O’Keeffe. The artist herself was a direct inspiration for milliner Stephen Jones, who recreated her signature topper for the collection. O’Keeffe’s ram paintings were recreated on coats, which were styled to mimic the artist’s personal style.
Dior resort 2018
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The silhouettes were long, but Grazia Chiuri balanced out the flowing pieces with leather Perfecto jackets (printed with tarot motifs by artist Vicki Noble). There was a touch of the casual, too, another touchstone of the Grazia Chiuri Dior. There were T-shirts, tank tops, and more relaxed pieces sprinkled in with the long, belted coats and gowns. Ponchos and caftans were another theme, so Grazia Chiuri was feeling the flow. Naturally, there were New Look homages thrown in the mix. But because the designer is more about looking forward than paying tribute to the original Monsieur Dior, the denim looks (complete with beading and embroidery, though not in a Grey Gardens Gucci way) were standouts. While it’ll be tough to shed the heritage of a couture house, Grazia Chiuri is working hard to bring Dior to the forefront of more everyday dressing. With the prairie dresses shown alongside leather jackets and T-shirts, it looks like she’s getting the mix just right.
For more information, visit www.dior.com.
Images courtesy Vogue
