DIOR SHOWS THE WONDERS OF PUGLIA TO THE WORLD
After a trembling waiting, Dior reveals its 2021 Cruise Collection to the world. Next to Montecarlo, London, Los Angeles and Marrakech, Lecce, the capital of Salento, has finally hosted the wonderful show of the French Maison.
An extraordinary combination of colors, sounds and lights in a suggestive scenario just as Piazza del Duomo, where 45 models appeared as Mediterranean goddesses. An evocative parade, inspired by the natural beauty and history, the culture and craftsmanship of Salento, so dear to Maria Grazia Chiuri.
Ph: Ansa.it
In the first part, rough fabrics and ethnic geometries apparently recalled the simple clothes worn by peasant and “pinched” women, but they hid sartorial mastery and production complexity. Fluid and light silhouettes enhanced the extreme refinement of the dresses and they contrasted with the density of the laced bustiers, the wool outerwear, the knitwear and the denim. Another opposition is visible between the innocence of the shirts and the heaviness of the aprons, the corsets and the leather boots.
The women represented by Dior are angels forced into a rural reality of fields and hard work. These traits are found in the handkerchiefs on the head, in the ears of wheat in embroideries and bags (including the iconic Book Tote and Saddle) and in the use of thick leathers for shoes and accessories.
Ph: Stefania D. & Apos Alessandro via getty images
Working is followed by partying and resting. The second half of the show is dedicated to conviviality and to the no-longer-humid and dark nature. The night is filled with floating garments, sensual and degradè transparencies, baroque embellishments, ultra-floral and iconographic decorations. Dior women wore swaying dresses and large suits, fresh footwear, refined jewels and shades. Colors, indeed, were the key elements that highlighted the Salento of Dior and the nostalgia of a strong past: black and dusty tones such as gray, sand and beige were blended with bright shades of white, green, old pink, brown and red.
To embellish the perimeter of Piazza del Duomo, real "tailors of light" have arranged the Luminarie, traditional structures for parties and festivals. Like a canvas, more than a kilometer of colored LED tubes punctuated phrases on the theme of female redemption. The result is a very interesting dialogue between fashion, artisan savoir-faire and militant art.
