3 Emerging Themes from Dior's Runway Show in Paris

Dior kicked off Paris Fashion Week with a bang as it showcased a concession of the Maison’s classics but with a twist. While Maria Grazia Chiuri stayed true to her usual feminine designs, she incorporated a so to say heightened “technology” to her looks this season. Chiuri worked with Italian start-up D-Air lab to incorporate tech into Dior’s Fall 2022 looks. We see The Bar jacket undergo an upgrade with technical inserts such as a heating device, while the accessories which included opera length gloves are given a sporty twist similar to race protection gear.

To create a stark contrast to the sporty and tech twist some of the House's classic pieces received, Chiuri showcased her signature touch across an array of goth-inspired pieces. Several lace silhouettes and draped dresses were complemented by layers of delicate fringing, leather bustiers created out of embroideries, while trench coats with corsets gave the looks that extra grungy but highly artisanal feel. 

Towards the end of the show, the looks seemed to take quite a different turn as they reflected an interpretation of the Jardin d’Hiver tapestry, one that graced Mr. Dior’s winter garden. This section of the show seemed to echo inspirations from the Renaissance Era with Jacquard prints were spread across large puffer jackets, trousers, pleated midi skirts and dresses. To further subtly instate the Renaissance Elizabethan period feel into these looks, lace and embroidered collars or necklaces adorned the necks of a few models to complement dresses with square necklines. Perhaps the incorporation of the Renaissance theme, which quite literally mean rebirth in French, is a nod to Maria Grazia Chiuri's collection “The Next Era”.