At the garden of the Musée Rodin, Maria Grazia Chiuri presented Dior’s Spring/Summer 2025 collection. For the show, Chiuri transformed the runway into a 70-metre-long archery shooting range, where Sagg Napoli, an Italian performance artist, fired arrows alongside the models. With each poised release, Napoli boldly embodied the women warriors Chiuri was influenced by.
In a teaser for the show, Chiuri, who has established a habit of finding inspiration in formidable women throughout history, explored the Musée du Louvre with its curator, Ludovic Laugier. Landing on Diana of Versailles, a marble statue of the Roman Goddess of Hunting, it was clear that the creative director had found her next muse.
Known as a protector and provider, Diana—or Artemis, as she is also known—is depicted with a wide gaze, hastening forward as she simultaneously reigns in a deer and reaches for an arrow out of her quiver while donning a hiked chiton. As Chiuri and Laugier chatted about her significance, they also noted the versatility and historical importance of her clothing, so it was no surprise that wrapped silhouettes were featured prominently in the collection.
However, it wasn’t just her traditional garb referenced on the runway but also her fierce natural athleticism. With the Paris Olympics still fresh on the brain, the Maison’s long-held connection to the sporting world—sporty riding jackets were a pillar of Dior’s initial offering—was realised in a collection filled with luxurious athleisure and sporting motifs.
Tailoring and eveningwear still had their usual presence, too, but relaxed fits were favoured. Details like harnesses, moto jackets, driving gloves, and check prints also revealed a Formula One influence that galvanised a monochromatic colour palette with an energetic spirit.
Per the shownotes, Chiuri aimed to “bring fashion back to its origins and emphasize the relationship connecting the body and what dresses it.” With this in mind, Dior
assembled and reinterpreted cuts from the archives, starting with the House’s ‘Amazone’ dress, first dreamed up by Christian Dior for Autumn/Winter 1951-1952.
For Chiuri, it’s the often-dismissed symbiosis between strength and femininity that compels her to keep referencing these examples of autonomous, courageous grace. Though it’s common to hear that these two are diametrically opposed, history and legend are awash with women who ardently prove otherwise.
This story first appeared on GRAZIA International.
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