Dior Cruise 2021 Collection celebrates Italy’s Puglia region
Fashion & Leather Goods
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© Teresa Ciocia
Maria Grazia Chiuri, Creative Director of Dior, presented the Maison’s Cruise 2021 collection at the Piazza del Duomo in Lecce, in Italy’s Puglia region. The runway show, which took place with no live audience in attendance, is a collective work that blends the Dior heritage with the region’s traditions and craftsmanship. Paying homage to a place close to her heart, Maria Grazia Chiuri invited numerous local artists and artisans to contribute to the collection.
After months of preparation, the Dior Cruise 2021 Collection came to life in a sumptuous setting. In the center of Lecce, in the south of the Puglia region, models walked the runway without an audience to respect social distancing guidelines. Much more than a simple post card, this live show culminated a creative journey that celebrates this region of southern Italy.
Puglia has always held a special place in the heart of the Creative Director for Dior women’s collections and provided the starting point for her latest creations. Texts by anthropologist Ernesto De Martino dedicated to the region’s traditions prompted her to explore their roots. As part of this process she invited local artisans and artists to help her craft certain pieces.
Talking about her motivations in creating a collection as a ‘choral work’, the Italian designer said: “During this period, I sought to give collective efforts a new dimension. Despite the disadvantages of distance, bringing a different perspective to our daily lives has given us strength and imagination.”
She also wanted to spotlight exceptional local savoir-faire, including fabrics from Le Costantine Foundation, which were used in a series of emblematic Bar jackets. The workshop’s motto – “Amando e Cantando”, “Loving and Singing” – is also woven on the back of skirts.
Artist Pietro Ruffo imagined a field studded with ears of wheat, evoking a summer landscape that is transposed on long, light cotton dresses, shirts and shorts. Maria Grazia Chiuri also found inspiration in the ‘Luminarie’ of the region, the colorful nocturnal illuminations that showcase the architecture of the region’s many stunning buildings. The illuminations were reinterpreted by artist Marinella Senatore and the technique gave life to a figurative motif on scarves in the collection, featuring openwork and embroidered embellishments.
A veritable love letter to Puglia, the Dior Cruise 2021 Collection is an invitation to discover the region’s culture and craft, elevated by the creative talent of Maria Grazi Chiuri and Dior artisans.