Dior unveils its fall 2023 collection at iconic Gateway of India

Heralded as a tribute to Indian textile and handicraft, the collection marked the three-decade-long partnership and friendship shared between Maria Grazia Chiuri, Creative Director of Women’s Collection, Dior, and Karishma Swali, Creative Director, Chanakya International and Chanakya School of Craft.

“With this collection, we tried to explore the various genres of craft that exist across the country. We have worked with handweaving and handspun textiles like Madras check and craft like block print. We also worked with different schools of hand embroidery, and brought a language that is more fragile, contemporary and in alignment with Maria and House of Dior’s vision,” said Swali at the press conference held on Wednesday. Stating that textile and embroidery were one of the first activities of human beings, Chiuri added, “We are looking at craft that may be going out of circulation and finding ways to contemporaries them.”

In attendance at the event were actors Sonam Kapoor Ahuja, Karisma Kapoor, Anushka Sharma, Shobhita Dhulipala, Athiya Shetty and Ananya Panday, dressed up in Dior’s newly unveiled collection. Creating a storm at the event with her sheer presence was Rekha, looking splendid in her signature red-golden Kanjivaram silk sari. From the international diaspora, Bridgerton star Simone Ashley, Never Have I Ever’s Poorna Jagannathan, Game Of Thrones’ Maisie Williams, model and Suicide Squad actress Cara Delevingne, Slumdog Millionaire star Freida Pinto, renowned sitar player Anoushka Shankar were some of the celebrities present. Also marking their attendance were Shweta Bachchan, Isha Ambani with to-be sister-in-law Radhika Merchant, Virat Kohli, Masaba Gupta, Ananya Birla, Ujjwala Raut, Anaita Shroff Adajania, among others.

Equally unmissable was the scenography that was at display at the show. An expansive rangoli made using marigold, rose and jasmine flowers featuring a majestic elephant in the centre surrounded with beautiful flowers graced the ramp on both sides. Complementing it were diyas placed next to the rangoli panels. In the centre was a 24-metre tall installation of ‘toran’ handcrafted by the women artisans of Chanakya School of Craft, and featuring 1,008 patches presenting various styles of craft. Toran, which is used to decorate the main entrance of homes in various parts of India, was Chiuri’s way of expressing how much she feels welcomed in India, she told the media at the press conference. Topping it all was the classical music, which was being played live at the event, truly transporting one to the land where tradition meets contemporary. However, what was truly missing at the evening was the presence of Indian designers.