In the hallowed grounds of the Musée Rodin in Paris, a museum famed for its works such as The Thinker, The Kiss, and The Gates of Hell, Dior unveiled their Haute Couture Collection for Spring 2024.
The show was well attended, with the likes of Rihanna, Natalie Portman, Anya Taylor-Joy and Elizabeth Debicki there to celebrate the maison.
Surrounded by a building dedicated to the art of sculptures, Dior’s creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri decided to pay homage to an iconic silhouette in the house’s history: the La Cigale dress, designed by Christian Dior for autumn-winter 1952.
“[It] evokes the sacredness of the Atelier through its sculptural construction and moiré fabric, thus becoming the starting point for a theory that recontextualizes couture. A fragile boundary between art and life,” the house explains.
The Spring 2024 collection sits on the edge of a fine line; one that is refined, yet playful, feminine, yet strong.
Experiencing the show feels like a love letter to women. Our utilitarian strength and no-nonsense ‘get-it-done’ attitude is embodied in the re-imagining of the trench. Camel tones, capelets and drawstrings are imbued into feminine gowns with more organic lines.
Sheer fabrics and embellishment offer a sparkling edge, with seductive shades of burgundy and alluring mesh celebrating the sensuality of womanhood.
The house calls the collection an “expression of the metamorphic spirit of the imagination.” Essentially, it strikes to the heart of our transformation as people under the pressure of life and time. It presents a multifaceted view of women that is flamboyant and dizzying, but without being frivolous.
While the collection largely plays in the muted tones of camel and grey, there are bright moments throughout. A shock of embroidered yellow that any woman would simply die to have in her closet. A navy polka dot that feels very reminiscent of the 50s. A slinky sheer number emblazoned with shimmering obsidian black. A burgundy coat-dress with feathered skirt peeking out from underneath.
This collection is an ode to ‘aura’, a distinctive atmosphere or quality a person gives off, that you might not be able to always put your finger on. It’s too complex, too rich, all encompassing.
Around the collection, artist Isabella Ducrot provides the backdrop with her installation ‘Big Aura’, which aims to “[emblemize] a power that transcends the body.”
And the collection does just that. Right down to the beauty choices, this collection feels multifaceted and intriguing. A coquettish array of ribbons adorn the hair, but the makeup is pared back, with a smudge of grey-black under the eye in a grungy, devil-may-care flair.
The woman in these clothes is self-assured. She’s jumping from the boardroom to the ballet with a whip-smart intelligence and a sense of humour to match. And let’s be honest, who doesn’t want to be her?
