Latest news with #DiorCruise2026
The Star
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Star
Ethereal, dreamy, poetic: Looking back at Maria Grazia Chiuri's final Dior show
The fog drifted in over the manicured lawns of the Villa Albani Torlonia in Rome just as the Dior Cruise 2026 show began, lending what was already a somewhat surreal moment an extra-otherworldly air. All the female guests wore white, even Natalie Portman and Rosamund Pike; the men, black. As they entered the verdant inner courtyard of the private manse, with its collection of Greco-Roman antiquities, they walked past dancers posed like moving statuary. When the first models appeared, to the strains of a live orchestra, light rain began to fall. Along with the mist, it made the clothes, almost all ivory and often so light as to be practically transparent, seem ghostly (even for someone watching through the computer screen): an ethereal stew of references in lace, silk and velvet – with the occasional tailcoat – to different periods in history and imagination. In a video call before the show, the designer, Maria Grazia Chiuri, said she had been after what she called 'beautiful confusion', the phrase (co-screenwriter) Ennio Flaiano originally suggested as a title for (director Federico) Fellini's 8 1/2 . It was an apt description, not just of the collection itself, which seemed made for phantoms slipping from one era into the next, but also of the question mark surrounding her own situation. Read more: What led to Jonathan Anderson's sudden appointment as head of Dior menswear? Chiuri had nominally brought Dior back to her home city to celebrate the romantic spirits that formed her (and helped shape fashion), from La Cinecitta to director Pier Paolo Pasolini and Mimi Pecci-Blunt, an early 20th-century patroness of the arts who built a private theatre Chuiri recently restored. But she also brought herself and her audience full circle, back to the place she began. To do so, she enlisted a host of collaborators: the Tirelli costume house, director Matteo Garrone (who made a short film in honour of the collection), artist Pietro Ruffo, Dutch choreographers Imre and Marne Van Opstal. If that sounds like a lot to cram into what was essentially a 20-minute fashion experience, it was on purpose. It is widely accepted in fashion that this was Chiuri's last show for Dior. That in a matter of days the house will announce she is leaving after nine years and will be replaced by Jonathan Anderson, who recently joined Dior as artistic director of menswear. Note: This story was written before the announcement of her exit. LVMH, which owns the house, has not addressed the rumours, and when asked directly, Chiuri simply said, 'Oh, I don't answer this question.' It's too bad. The lack of clarity about her future, combined with the actual fog, gave an ambiguous edge to what could have been a triumphant farewell. Instead it seemed like a vaguely elegiac swan song. Maria Grazia Chiuri, creative director of Dior waves at the end of the Dior Cruise 2026 womenswear show at Villa Albani Torlonia, in Rome. Photo: AFP Maybe they are hedging for legal reasons. Maybe Chiuri, who has the thick skin and stubbornness of many pioneers, didn't want it to be nostalgic or sentimental. But while the collection was lovely and she got a standing ovation, it could have been so much more. It could have been an exclamation point at the end of what will surely be seen as a meaningful era in the life span of a major brand. A celebration of the contribution of the first woman to run the house. Such a farewell is not unheard-of in fashion, even if designers now turn over so often and so brusquely that it seems rarer than not. Tom Ford ended his Gucci period with a shower of pink rose petals, a standing ovation and Nothing Compares 2 U . Dries Van Noten went out on a silver foil runway with a giant disco ball to commemorate the moment. There's nothing wrong with designers being recognised for what they brought to a brand, even if, as in this case, the decision to part ways doesn't seem to be entirely mutual. Especially a designer like Chiuri, who both helped grow Dior to what is estimated to be close to US$9bil (approximately RM38.2bil) in revenue and expanded its identity more than anyone may have realised. She is quoted in the documentary Her Dior – a study of Chiuri's work with female artists directed by Loïc Prigent and released in March (an early sign, perhaps, of legacy building) – saying she knew what she was doing. She did. She used her power and position, the financial might of her company, not just to assert a somewhat hackneyed feminism (who could forget the slogan tees or the weird playsuits under princess dresses?), but also to support a variety of female artists as well as a panoply of artisans. To insist on the radical idea that craft belonged on the same level as couture. And, perhaps most significantly of all, to break the stranglehold of the "new look". Indeed, in Her Dior , Chiuri said she told the Dior executives when she was hired that the brand's most signature silhouette, with its cinching and constriction of the female figure, was not for her. Read more: A look back at Jonathan Anderson's star-studded legacy of dressing celebrities To look back at her collections is to see her methodically dismantling it. She did so first by going through the motions of loosening the stays – figuring out how to preserve the shape without the restrictive underpinnings – and then by eschewing it entirely. Her strength as a designer wasn't in the giant productions that surrounded her collections but in the internal magic she worked with construction and material. It's why her work often seemed more enticing in previews, experienced up close, than on the runway, where it could look banal. It is worth noting that there was not a single bar jacket in the whole cruise show. Or a high heel. Instead it was strewed with Easter eggs that suggested a finale: references to Chiuri-isms past (to the short film she and Garrone made during Covid-19 and to the dancers she had included in other shows); to a possible future (her work with the Roman theatre); to the goodbye of her colleague, former Dior menswear designer Kim Jones, who resigned after his January show (as in that show, some of Chiuri's models were wearing blindfolds). Even the inclusion of 31 couture looks among the ready-to-wear seemed a last word of sorts. Couture is the next season on the womenswear schedule, and it would have been Chiuri's next collection, if there actually were one. For now there was just the Cruise 2026 show's closing look: an extraordinary gown micro-beaded to resemble a trompe l'oeil heroic torso. Or a relic, perhaps, of a time gone by. – ©2025 The New York Times Company This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
Grazia USA
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Grazia USA
At Dior Cruise 2026 in Rome, Peter Philips Gave Models a Hauntingly Beautiful Pearlescent Glow
Courtesy of Dior In the breathtaking gardens of the Villa Albani Torlonia on May 27, fashion's finest gathered to watch the Dior Cruise 2026 show after a picture-perfect, blue sky day in Rome. But just as the models hit the catwalk, the skies opened and poured rain, adding a touch of auspicious drama to the moment. Quite fitting, considering Maria Grazia Chiuri's inspiration for the collection was ghosts and the history of cinema in Rome, a veritable love letter to her native city for what turned out to be her final show after nine years. Inside the Beauty Look The beauty look by Peter Philips followed suit. 'This show is an interaction between living personalities and ghosts,' the creative and image director for Christian Dior Makeup says backstage. 'The girls are made up almost in a ghost way, but not in a scary way,' he confides, noting that he wanted to give a preternaturally smooth, luminous finish to skin akin to the marble statues that add a knowing character to the Eternal City To get the 'very pure, quintessentially clean and nude' look, the makeup guru subtly highlighted eyes while playing up a pearlescent complexion. Skin prep was key. First, he smoothed the eye area by popping on the Dior Eye Patches for ten minutes before applying Dior Capture Le Sérum to hyper-moisturize. Tone was evened out with Dior Forever Skin Perfect foundation stick. Getting Their Glow On He then added 'a bit of highlight' to the center of each eye with the champagne shade in the new Diorshow 5 Couleurs compact in 557 Brown Cashemire. A stroke of Diorshow On Stage Crayon in 594 Brown along the roots of lashes provided a touch of definition, just 'a little bit of brown trail.' He says. A dab of Dior Forever Glow Luminizer in 06 Opal Sequin on cheekbones and high points heightened the decidedly buffed luminosity. On lips, Philips chose a slick of Dior Addict Lip Butter in 103 Toffee, since it has 'no pearlescent' quality but simply a sheen to offset the iridescence on skin. A Crown Affair As for the hair at Dior Cruise 2026, Guido Paulo styled braided chignons. 'The shape of the hair is very much like a Roman sculpture,' Philips says. Think 'Roman ladies in toga-style dresses.' The woven updos proved to be the perfect expression of Roman beauty — and perfectly rain-proof when the weather threw a curveball. Time to Party After the show, the rain stopped — perhaps by divine intervention. Guests then floated their way through the gardens to bartenders flowing champagne into cut crystal coups while a string quartet played. The theatrical vibe of the evening continued as fashion's most formidable mingled with celebs and friends of the house including Rachel Brosnahan, Alexandra Daddario, Sarah Catherine Hook, Liza Koshy and Style Not Com's Beka Gvishiani over plates of pasta and braesola with parmesan. The revelry continued well into the night; an ethereal spirit seen through Maria Grazia Chiuri's lens was in the air — a very fitting finale for the Italian design legend who championed feminism and following one's art… with heart.
Emirates Woman
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Emirates Woman
The Dior Cruise 2026 show presents a cinematic ode to Rome's timeless elegance
For Maria Grazia Chiuri, bringing the Dior Cruise 2026 show to Rome was both a homecoming and a challenge. A decade after her last presentation in the Eternal City—the breathtaking Mirabilia Romae haute couture show for Valentino—she returned with a spectacle that melded history, cinema, and fashion in a way only she could envision. Held at the enchanting Villa Albani Torlonia, an 18th-century treasure trove of Greco-Roman antiquities rarely open to the public, the show was a grand production worthy of Rome's legendary Cinecittà studios. As artificial mist swirled across the parterre and raindrops began to fall (only to fade as the models emerged), the setting became a dreamscape—one where Renaissance opulence met modern femininity. Chiuri's collection was a masterclass in storytelling, with diaphanous cream and white gowns floating alongside dramatic crimson and black velvet columns. Androgynous outerwear—think military tailcoats, peaked trench capes, and sleek motorcycle jackets—added a touch of Dietrich-esque power, while intricate lace and gold-fringed capes exuded regal grandeur. In a nod to Italian cinematic history, she collaborated with famed costume house Tirelli to recreate iconic looks from films like *The Leopard* and The Age of Innocence. The result? A wardrobe fit for a modern-day princess—or a silver-screen siren. Though the grandeur of the venue occasionally overshadowed the meticulous craftsmanship, standout pieces like a scalloped, bead-dusted slip dress and a gold-fringed cape ensured Chiuri's vision shone through. If this marks her final bow at Dior after nine transformative years, she leaves with a triumphant ode to Rome—and to the timeless allure of women who wear her designs. A show of marvels, indeed. – For more on luxury lifestyle, news, fashion and beauty follow Emirates Woman on Facebook and Instagram Images: Supplied & Feature Image: Supplied
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Rosamund Pike Does Boho With an Edge at Dior's Cruise Show in Rome
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Rosamund Pike is a lover of dress codes and Dior white. The Gone Girl star was so dreamy in a collared crochet top and skirt set at the Dior Cruise 2026 show in Rome this Tuesday. Her semi-sheer crochet set featured detailed embroidery while the top showcased tiny white buttons down the front. Pike accessorized the look with a thick, silver metal chain waist belt, black floral lace boots that laced up, a white quilted leather bag, and a brownish-nude lip—all of which added a bit of an edge to the romantic core look. Friends of the brand, including Natalie Portman, Alexandra Daddario and Ashley Park—all dressed in intricately laced and knitted soft white and ivory looks from the Cruise collection—gathered inside the 18th-century complex for the show. 'For me, doing a project in Rome was obviously one of my desires, but also one of my fears,' creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri said in a preview ahead of the haunting yet blissfully bohemian show. 'Cinema has done a lot to promote the image of Rome. For me, it was important not only to show my personal Rome, but also Rome as it has appeared in the movies.' This is the first show Chiuri has presented in her hometown in 10 years since her time at Valentino. Chirui also implemented a dress code for the show with the women in white and the men in black, inspired by the 1930 'Bal Blanc' hosted by the Countess and Count Pecci-Blunt in Paris. The famous event was lensed by iconic photographer Man Ray. 'I love a dress code and I think it makes everybody feel special,' Pike told WWD at the show. There is a sense of belonging and togetherness, you are part of a production, I suppose. It's like being part of a theatrical company, you are required to play a part.' The Dior ambassador also loves an all-white look. Last spring, she attended the Brooklyn Artists Ball in a sugar-white jacket and dress set from Dior's 2024 Cruise collection. The Saltburn star posed for photos at the Brooklyn Museum in New York wearing the short wool jacket—which had a delicate rounded collar as well as abstract illustrations of butterflies embroidered in white string throughout. Meanwhile, the white silk taffeta dress was the essence of spring and featured earth-tone illustrations of colorful insects existing around a garden, such as caterpillars crawling on leaves and majestic butterflies flying about. You Might Also Like 4 Investment-Worthy Skincare Finds From Sephora The 17 Best Retinol Creams Worth Adding to Your Skin Care Routine
Graziadaily
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Graziadaily
Dior's Latest Spectacular Demanded All-White Outfits Only – See The Best Here
For all their diktats, turns out the fashion crowd aren't huge fans of a dress code. At least that was the learning from the Dior Cruise show staged in Rome last night, where creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri had asked women to wear all white and men all black. Panicked WhatsApp threads questioned whether white jeans would work with a tuxedo jacket (answer yes, judging by the front row) or if a failsafe white shirt dress would be too casual in front of the Dior cameras (a resounding no). Guests Rosamund Pike and Ashley Park didn't have such issues; they'd raided the Dior archives for suitable white attire. Pike's lace dress was from the 2024 Mexico Cruise show; Park wore an oatmeal crystal sheath dress from last season. Meanwhile, Natalie Portman had gone one better: debuting one of Maria Grazia Chiuri's Cruise 2026 looks before it had even appeared on the catwalk. Her romantic ruffled dress and tailored frock coat were one of a multitude of white looks in a collection inspired by a Parisian Bal Blanc, hosted in 1930 by Mimi Pecci Blunt, famed aristocrat and patron of the arts. Models at the Dior Cruise 2026 show held at the Villa Albani Torlonia on May 27, 2025 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Federico Lomartire/WWD via Getty Images) A Dior customer, Blunt moved in the same circles as Christian Dior, but her connection to Chiuri is even more personal. Five years ago, Chiuri bought Blunt's old theatre just down the road from her own apartment in Rome and has finally completed its restoration. Earlier in the day, she'd invited the 450 Dior guests for a tour of the theatre – as well as some of the other places she's long admired in the city she was born in but hasn't spent as much time as she would have liked over her almost decade at Dior. One was the Tirelli Costumi – the renowned costume house and workshop where Oscar-winning costumes from Amadeus and Marie Antoinette were made. The Cruise show, Chiuri said, gave her the opportunity to collaborate with the Tirelli atelier to create costumes worn by the dancers who greeted guests and opened the show in the Renaissance gardens of one of Rome's private villas. L-R: Ashley Park and Alexandra Daddario at the Dior Cruise 2026 show 'I've wanted to collaborate with them for a long time. It's exciting to see the clothes performing in a different way on stage,' Chiuri said backstage. 'Most of the time we work with a model's body, but it's completely different when you have to work with actors who are performing. I think it's very important to learn something, for the studio and for me. Otherwise the risk is that you close your world.' It was also an opportunity for Chiuri to show off her own beloved Rome. 'Most of the time when you think about Rome you think about the antiquity, the history,' she said. 'But so much of the image of the city comes from film. We wanted to celebrate this influence of cinema and theatre.' Models at the Dior Cruise 2026 show held at the Villa Albani Torlonia on May 27, 2025 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Federico Lomartire/WWD via Getty Images) Still, in light of persistent rumours that this show was to be Chiuri's last for Dior, it was impossible not to see this as a homecoming of sorts. Especially given that Chiuri included not just the ready-to-wear Cruise collection on the catwalk, but also 31 couture looks that would ordinarily have been shown in July in Paris. Backstage, she said this was all part of a narrative about the 'beautiful confusion' of a city built on layers and layers of history, much of which is still being excavated and restored today. 'We wanted to mix the pret-a-porter, couture and costumes so you don't always understand which is which,' she said. 'It's about creating an illusion; and fashion is sometimes an illusion.' Confusion aside, if this was a farewell, it was done in style. Smoke rising from the hedges, this had all the hallmarks of a classic Chiuri show. Even the rain that started falling just as the models emerged has become a Chiuri Cruise show tradition. There were scores of fluid, floor-length dresses, that looked easy to wear despite the ornate embroidery and delicate lace. Most were in white; good news for anyone lucky enough to be in the market for a Dior bridal gown. But the metallic and black velvet gowns will also be on the 1% Christmas party dress wish list. Natalie Portman at the Dior Cruise 2026 show Unusually for a designer whose cult bags will surely remain bestsellers long after she leaves Dior – The Book Tote, The Toujours - there were remarkably few to be seen on the catwalk. That said, there were still plenty of commercial pieces that Chiuri devotees will be pre-ordering: a double-breasted military inspired cashmere coat with black trim for example and countless iterations of precision tailoring – from tailcoats to sleeveless vests - plus of course the iconic bar jacket. Note too, mesh ballerina shoes aren't going anywhere fast. Or, if you are looking for an upgrade, the flats dripping in crystals looked like the perfect party shoes. Maria Grazia Chiuri received a standing ovation at the Dior Cruise 2026 show As the crowd rose to give Chiuri a standing ovation as she made her way around the catwalk, the rain cleared. In jeans, a black shirt and velvet jacket, she delivered a final poignant message to her monochrome crowd. Sometimes dress codes are made for defying. Hattie Brett's first job in journalism was editorial assistant of Grazia – and in 2018, she returned to the brand as editor-in-chief. That means she oversees all the editorial content across print, digital and social. She loves campaigning on issues that really matter to her audience, for example calling on the government to hold an inquiry into the cost and accessibility of childcare. Her work commissioning, editing and creating content for Grazia's woman across everything from fashion to interiors and politics, won her BSME Editor of the Year in 2022. Prior to her current role, she has worked in women's media for almost 20 years, launching and editing a website for millennial women The Debrief before working as deputy lifestyle director at The Telegraph across fashion, beauty and luxury.
