Surprise! Maria Grazia Chiuri has dropped yet another uber-polarizing Dior collection. The creative director, who’s helmed the house since 2016, has been the butt of many fashion week jokes as show after show has unceremoniously flopped or gone viral for all the wrong reasons. The Pre-Fall 2024 Collection is no exception. With a meme-worthy American flag sweater, the lineup was definitely…memorable.
Now, I’m not Chiuri’s biggest fan, nor do I identify as a doting modern-day Dior admirer. I am simply an observer who can recognize when Chiuri occasionally knocks it out of the park with custom couture (Yes, I’m talking about Rosamund Pike and Natalie Portman). However, as fashion commentary account after fashion commentary account rained down on her for another Marshalls-esque lineup, I, for the first time in a long time, felt the urge to defend a Dior collection.
Staged at the Brooklyn Museum, home to Judy Chicago’s The Dinner Party (a.k.a my favorite piece of modern art), the show was in my good books before it even started. But why New York? Well, Chiuri stated that the Pre-Fall 2024 collection was her long-awaited love letter to the city. Saying, “I’ve desired from the moment I arrived at Dior eight years ago to come here and realize this show,” and how “New York has been a big influence on my personal style. I like sportswear, and I like denim too. I don’t think about a collection for specific moments. I think more about wardrobes, where you can mix each piece in a different way, and also what is adaptable.”
I’m happy to report that a mix and match, NYC-functional collection is exactly what she delivered…with a few missteps, of course. Yes, the skyline illustrations plastered on numerous trenches and dresses read as dentist’s office stock art, and yes the 2010-s mega text leggings were a poor opener. But looking past these…choices, Chiuri presents the essence of a classic New York wardrobe: sophisticated, sleek, and most importantly, black. The tailored oversized blazer laid atop a beaded mini dress, deconstructed yet structured Schiaparelli-reminiscent button-up, tailored pant and tousled bow tie combo (that I’m dubbing 1920s lesbian), two slouchy sweater with sequined skirt looks, and sheer fringe dress complete with matching gloves have all earned a spot in my dream wardrobe.
Are things looking up for Chiuri? This collection was a win in a sea of many misses, and while her clothes may not always be the most stylish, there is a thriving target market for everyday womenswear. Yes, Chiuri’s Dior is boring (and occasionally way too on the nose), and no, it is not Dior as Dior intended. However, you don’t need to reinvent the wheel to thrive in the luxury market. So, while creatively, it might seem like Chiuri is running in fading circles—financially, she doesn’t need anyone’s help. Maria Grazia Chiuri is going to be ok, with or without anyone’s opinion. But please, Mrs. Chiuri, I beg of you, stop reinventing the Junon Dress, or Christian Dior will come back to haunt us all.
Words by Miia Popovics
Graphics by Reem Hindi