In Puglia, Maria Grazia Chiuri developed a taste for the Mediterranean wardrobe that would never leave her. If you’ve ever wondered where the rustic romanticism of the Roman couturier’s vision for Christian Dior stems from, these are her roots. Following a cruise show in Marrakech that approached that most ancient tunics-and-sandals sensibility from a nomadic point of view, Chiuri said she was ready for something that felt “intimate” to her on a different level. Taking Monsieur Dior’s treasure trove of inspirations – much as it only encompasses ten years – out of its time frame and into present-day pragmatism, Chiuri presented an haute couture collection that hailed the freedom-of-choice character of this old craft.

The Mediterranean sensibility transpired towards the end of the show. She received the Légion d’Honneur on 1st July 2019. The collection was another step on the way to cementing her reality-driven vision for Dior, even if she sometimes throws in a walking house.
