by Olivia Moreau

Dior's pre-fall collection is an extension of Maria Chuiri's vision of the new Dior. Chuiri who is the first female creative head of the fashion giant has been able to negotiate the gravity of the history of the house and move the brand forward into new territories. Her Spring collection was a brisk masterclass in Dior's history and it's global ambition. The pre-fall collection extends that run and consolidates her position as one of the most important figures in Dior's history. 

The philosophy behind Dior's pre-fall collection is the story of Maria and in many way the story of all the outsider artists who ventured to Paris to escape dictatorship to monotone. Diversity as an inspiration being the primary vehicle of this collection provides a counter-weight to Europe's ongoing struggle with it. That is not to say the Maria does not revisit the Dior of the past. Dior of the past still there in the details. From exquisite embroidery to firmly tailored black the Dior of the past is present and prospering but just like Paris it is evolving and that is all you can ask of an artist...to understand the gravity of history while moving art forward. 

_______________________

Olivia Moreau is a Sorbonne-educated Parisian journalist and blogger. She routinely writes on the history of aesthetics and its impact on fashion