Dior brings bold splash of colour to Paris fashion week

Christian Dior showcased a burst of colorful 1960s- and 70s-flavored mini dresses as crowds returned to its hometown show at the Paris fashion week. Guests showing health passes on their mobile phones were waved in by guards at the marquee sited in the Tuileries Gardens where onlookers gathered to watch the stream of arrivals, which included K-pop star Jisoo.

Christian Dior showcased a burst of colorful 1960s- and 70s-flavored mini dresses as crowds returned to its hometown show at the Paris fashion week.

Guests showing health passes on their mobile phones were waved in by guards at the marquee sited in the Tuileries Gardens where onlookers gathered to watch the stream of arrivals, which included K-pop star Jisoo. Dozens of brands will show their collections to in-person audiences in the French capital through Oct. 5, capping a month that has seen the return of celebrity-packed fashion events and screaming fans to New York, London and Milan following months of pandemic disruptions.

"During the pandemic crisis, we did a lot of film video. I think it's not the same, I think it's completely different because fashion is something that you do on a stage," Maria Grazia Chiuri, womenswear designer for the LVMH-owned label, said in an interview. The designer drew on the house's collections under the creative leadership of Marc Bohan, who was known for modernizing styles by loosening silhouettes in the 1960s and 1970s. Chiuri swapped Dior's signature, cinched Bar jackets for short, boxy cuts, rounding the shoulders and pairing them with mini skirts. She wove in technical fabrics like scuba material, which added a sporty flair to the lineup of colour-blocked looks matching tailored coats with dresses.

"I bring this reference in the silhouette, in the bold colour and also it's very graphic," said Chiuri. The designer retooled go-go boots and low-heeled Mary Janes from the era, offering them in hot pink and bright orange, with laces and white, rubber soles.

Patterns included neon leopard prints and pastel camouflages as well as animal images that were blown up and applied with embroidery techniques. Models circled round a runway set up to resemble a board game and decorated with artwork from Rome-based artist Anna Paparatti that broadcast messages infused with irony, like "The game of nonsense."

"The essence of fashion is also a game, people use clothes to perform in, to describe themselves, to be fun," said Chiuri.

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