Dior debuted its latest Cruise 2024 runway presentation in Mexico City, a location creative director, Maria Grazia Chiuri, calls a “place of the soul.” She fittingly drew inspiration for the heart of her new collection from Mexican artists like Leonora Carrington, Remedios Varo, Tina Modotti and most notably, the celebrated Mexican painter, Frida Kahlo. A cultural symbol of representation, proclamation and inclusivity, Kahlo’s spirit, signature motifs and masculine-meets-feminine aesthetic was woven throughout the collection.
Grazia Chiuri chose to host her show, attended by Naomi Watts and Alicia Keys among other celebrities, at the Antiguo Colegio de San Ildefonso. It’s a site close to Kahlo’s heart, as she studied her craft and met her husband Diego Rivera as a student there. And Khalo’s influence was clearly impressed on the collection. A breezy pink dress which cascaded into layers of ruffles at its hem recalled a similar style featured in one of Kahlo’s famous self-portraits. Her renowned butterfly and birds of paradise motifs were incorporated throughout the collection’s pieces. And as a nod to her ability to push the boundaries of gender constructs, many styles balanced the best of masculinity and femininity in their look.
Grazia Chiuri again celebrated local artisans in partnership with their ateliers tapping them to create the original embroideries. A weaver, Hilan Cruz Cruz, put his mark with his workshop’s flora and fauna embroideries on shirts and dresses, while Pedro Meza was behind’s some of show’s sash belts, which made for the ultimate finishing touch.
Dior’s history with the country is long-standing. Christian Dior himself sold a “Mexico” dress in the 1950s and presented one of his lines there in 1954. Ever since, it’s served as a source of inspiration for some of the iconic house’s collections. And just like the first time, Dior’s Cruise 2024 collection is set to make big waves.
View the gallery for highlights from the Dior Crusie 2024 collection.
S/ Was There: The Dior Cruise 2024 Collection Comes to Life in Mexico City
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