Dior travelled to Kyoto to showcase their new ready-to-wear collection

Staged in Kyoto at night and surrounded by maple and cherry trees, with the 55-meter-tall wooden pagoda serving as a spectacular backdrop, Dior unveiled its latest collection. Collaborating with local craftsmen, Maria Grazia Chiuri drew influence from the show’s host country. From folding pieces in a nod to origami and thick, wooden soles that were taken from traditional Japanese geta sandals to the disassembling and reassembling of kimonos in new and original ways and translating that into jackets and coats, aspects of it can be found throughout the presentation. Whether embroidered, dyed, or embellished, Monsieur Dior’s well-documented love for flowers and gardens was symbolically represented through the sakura. Cherry blossom branches, the Japanese art of ikebana, or floral compositions; flowers were a major and prevalent force at the heart of the collection.

“The reality of a building is defined by its interior space, its living space, the space we inhabit; the same applies to architecture as to fashion,” reads the collection’s press release. “It is in this realm, which we can consider a borderland, that the relationship between body and garment is woven, differing according to custom. Between the garment for the body and the body for the garment.” Drawing from the bountiful Japanese culture and approaching her designs from an architectural standpoint, Chiuri relied on her vast experience and know-how to structurally craft clothing around the human form. Replaced by soft and beautifully constructed matching suits, the maison’s iconic Bar jacket took a pause for the time being. Reflected in airy, black knitwear, an emphasis was placed on freedom and ease of movement and further enhanced by the collection’s practical elements—zippers, straps, clasps, and strings—which not only remained visible but also enhanced the designs.