It has now become customary for Dior to celebrate craftspeople with each and every collection it presents, but this is particularly the case when it comes to its cruise shows – and this year was no different, as Maria Grazia Chiuri journeyed to Edinburgh, where she teamed up with local fashion brands and designers, and celebrated the historic connection between Scotland and France.
“In the past 10 years we speak only of the ‘brand’ when it comes to fashion, but I want to show what is behind the brand – the factories, the knowledge,” Grazia Chiuri said backstage ahead of the show. “Everything isn’t done in Paris or Milan, it’s a global industry. So when we speak about fashion, we forget how much we’re connected. To work together is an opportunity to explore different ways of doing things.”
The designer has made huge efforts to draw attention to the people behind the fashion houses, and has collaborated with countless craftspeople, designers and organisations over the past few years. For Cruise 2025, the team worked with Samantha McCoach and her brand Le Kilt to design pieces for the collection, while they also teamed up with Harris Tweed, Johnstons of Elgin, ESK Cashmere and Robert Mackie, who brought their local expertise into the designs.
Much of the collection was, of course, inspired by Scottish fashion and history, from the tartan to the chainmail. This included Dior’s take on the kilt, which Grazia Chiuri said was a “big responsibility” to take on. “The kilt is part of Scottish tradition but also the punk moment in fashion – Westwood and McQueen worked with this before me so it was a big responsibility.”
However, she added that the kilt is nothing new to Dior. “In some ways, the Bar jacket and skirt is an interpretation by Mr Dior of the kilt and its jacket.”
Of course, Christian Dior had a great personal connection to Scotland too, which was part of the reasoning behind doing a show in the country. Not only did he tour Scotland many times, but he was he inspired by the nation’s traditions in his work and hosted various shows and events in the country during his time heading up the house.
There is also a great connection between Scotland and France, which Grazia Chiuri wanted to reference in the collection, particularly paying tribute to Mary, Queen of Scots.
“Mary was Queen of France as well as Scotland – and she used fantastic embroidery to tell her story, to send a message,” Grazia Chiuri said. “All these references are inside the collection in a contemporary way.” For this, the house worked closely with author, historian and artist Clare Hunter whose book about the royal served as a key inspiration in the collection.
And, nodding to the relationship between Scotland and France made the gardens of Drummond Castle the perfect location for the show to take place in. As Grazia Chiuri explains, the design of the gardens features French and Italian references and has, in fact, been nicknamed the ‘Versailles of Scotland’.
All in all, it made for a joyful show – one which was watched by the likes of Jennifer Lawrence, Rosamund Pike and Lily Collins – and a true celebration of Scotland.
