Is Maria Grazia Chiuri the most modern couturier? It was a question we asked ourselves as the Italian designer shed the tradition of boned bodices and presented a collection of Sporty Couture
Like a blue stocking suffragette during the height of women’s liberation, it seems Dior is deeming restrictive and structured undergarments a thing of the past. Instead, as fashion powerhouses and Olympic fever concurrently descend on Paris for Haute Couture Week, Dior's creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri presented a thoroughly sporty collection.
The inspiration lies very much within Chiuri’s comfort zone, whose first collection for the brand back in 2016 examined fencing through a fashion lens. For her latest Couture collection, however, Chiuri returned to the Olympic Games’ origins, transforming jersey into draped Grecian gowns. A hint of women’s emancipation could be traced along the line-up, with Dior’s creative director referencing the female athletes fighting for recognition during the 1924 games.
At first glance, these looks may not lend themselves to rigorous sport. But we implore you to look closer. You’ll notice the shape of a boxer’s singlet in sparkling mesh layered under the gathered gowns. The bedazzled bodysuit of a swimmer. But naturally, it is the folds of the pleated and tucked gowns that end up on our podium – rendered in gold, silver and bronze.
See all of the looks from Dior’s Haute Couture autumn/winter '25 collection below:
