LILY OF THE VALLEY BROOCH

 

    original image courtesy ©Dior

Sterling silver transforms into botanical poetry through the atelier's articulated craftsmanship. Eight centimetres of precious metal become a living talisman, capturing the delicate geometry of muguet, that bell-shaped flower which Christian Dior kept always within a reliquary at his breast, cherishing its spring-born promise of fortune. 

Jonathan Anderson's inaugural couture vision for the House resurrects this verdant language, channelling generations of creative inheritance into wearable art. The brooch emerges from his Spring-Summer 2026 collection as part of the Dior Couture Charms series, where playful sophistication meets the atelier's most hallowed codes. Each petal, each stem articulates through hinged construction, animated by the wearer's movement, a kinetic sculpture that recalls how Monsieur Dior himself distributed fresh sprigs to his petites mains every first of May, ensuring luck blessed the fingers that brought dreams into silk and taffeta. 

CHRISTIAN DIOR HAUTE COUTURE S/S 1998

    image courtesy of ©Vogue
 

John Galliano is well-known for his extravagant designs and dramatic presentations. One of his most memorable showcases was the stunning fashion opera unveiling of the Christian Dior Spring 1998 haute couture collection. This remarkable event was inspired by, if not dedicated to Marchesa Casati, one of his muses, and her fascination with Sergei Diaghilev's Ballet Russe. The collection, held at the Palais Garnier Opera house in Paris, featured sculptural silhouettes, cinched waist shapes reminiscent of Dior's iconic New Look, lace sheaths, skirt suits, mink fur-trimmed opera coats, backless velvet hoop-skirt gowns in Art Nouveau prints, and rose-strewn picture hats.

DIOR S/S 2017 AD CAMPAIGN

Dior presented its latest campaign for the S/S 2017, first under helm of its seventh couturier and first time lead by a woman, the Italian designer Maria Grazia Chiuri. In a series of intimate, calm portraits with a tomboyish flair, a perfect reflection of the Chiuri´s first collection for the French house presented in Paris last September, photographer Brigitte Lacombe captures the sisterly complicity of twin models May and Ruth Bell, while Karl Templer styled for the campaign. Take a look to the whole campaign below.

MESSENGER

christian dior s/s 2017

paris fashion week wmns

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NOVELTIES #54

RAF SIMONS + calvin klein

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All rumours and speculations are finally over, because from Tuesday 02.08 is official – Raf Simons joins Calvin Klein as the new Chief Creative officer with his long-time collaborator (right hand) Pieter Mullier as creative director. The brand confirmed that with a statement posted on Instagram.

Surprised? Despite everything he said in his press release announcing his “divorce” from Dior “It is a decision based entirely and equally on my desire to focus on other interests in my life, including my own brand, and the passions that drive me outside my work,” not at all. What good/ great he can/ will bring to the brand and even to the whole NewYork Fashion (scene), as usual time and, of course, facts will tell. Cheers to Raf!

other novelties ...

A BOW TO CHRISTIAN DIOR

Lucie Meier and Serge Ruffieux made  a true homage to the Christian Dior, not only with the showcase space, the original house couture salons on the Avenue Montaigne, but also with a fresh, youthful and modern reinterpretations of Dior´s codes and spirit. They actually did in this way with every collection since Raf Simons left. This haute couture, the last collection by the mentioned duo was entirely made from a balanced black and white colour palette, time to time enriched by some golden accent, the same way as the bright brushstrokes on the salons white walls. In total 45 couture, romantic looks as a modern reinterpretation of well-known hourglass shapes, like it was the iconic Tailleur Bar and the New Look style, accentuated with cinched-waist, off-shoulders and flared skirts, with here and there a subtle touch of flamboyance, like the embroideries on jackets.

NOVELTIES #52

first look of CHRISTOPHE LEMAIRE´s uniqlo u

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Four days ago, among all Haute Couture glitter-feather-drama showcased garments, Uniqlo and Christophe Lemaire presented their latest collaboration, his first as a creative director of the new line "Uniqlo U"and it worked well, like a great balance or a needed juxtaposition to the all that glam-sequined world. At the same time the first images of the collection, their F/W 2016/2017 campaign was released and by so far what we see it´s a great continuation of Lemaire´s effortless minimalism, functionality, season-less silhouettes and timeless aesthetic, mixed with Uniqlo´s technical innovation, sportswear-oriented  and the capacity to make good quality affordable. Since the beginning of this new adventure, they had a slogan from Charles and Ray Eames in mind: "The best for the most for the least," that explains the whole concept Uniqlo U - The line is built from a very Uniqlo point of view, it is rooted in the very DNA of Uniqlo, elevated basics, an ideal version of Uniqlo. The first collection will arrive in stores worldwide in October.

other novelties...

NOVELTIES #51

MARIA GRAZIA CHIURI at dior?

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If any tv-mogul looks for inspiration for a possible successful new, upcoming soap-opera or tv-series, than she/he should take a deep look on what´s happening in the fashion business during last few years, but there was enough talk, at least from my side about this topic in general. Well, the fashion does not rest, so in the new possible episode may come a possible reveal who is the new creative director at Dior. According to Reuters, Christian Dior is set to appoint Maria Grazia Chiuri, one half of Valentino's creative director design duo, as its creative top position. The inside source revealed that this new appointment will be announced officially after the couture show in July (the couture shows  are scheduled for July 3 to July 7). If this news becomes reality, it may cause a big shakeup at Valentino, where Chiuri worked alongside design partner Pierpaolo Piccioli since 2007. In less than two weeks we will discover.

other novelties...

NOVELTIES #49

HERMÈS ready-to-wear update

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Hermès has produced pre-collections since 2004 but chosen not to show them to the press, until this summer, when the French luxury brand will have its first-ever pre-collection presentation, set to take place at the soon-to-be unveiled location in Paris on July 3, a day when city´s haute couture week starts. The presentation will have an intimate-approach with less than 100 people invited, press, top clients and family included and will feature pre-spring 2016 looks designed by women’s ready-to-wear artistic director Nadège Vanhée-Cybulski. 

other novelties...

DIOR F/W 2016/2017 WOMENSWEAR SET

It took exactly 300 people and in total 18 days to build the set for the F/W 2016/2017 Dior show venue that took place on 04 March outside the Louvre (Louvre´s Cour Carrée). Designed by Bureau Betak, the pop-up construction featured a mirrored exterior and 500 square meters of décor. The first video is showing the process of making this set, while the second one is showing how the set looked inside some minutes before first guests of the show arrived.

COUTURE´S NEW REALISM

It´s a common way for fashion houses that when there´s an unexpected leaving of the creative director, all work, direction included overcome to the creative team and the result, the collections, are most of the time more safe, less bold or just a reflexion of the leaving creative-director aesthetic. Let´s mind examples at Jil Sander or Ann Demeulemeester. There are few rarities when a creative team surpasses or even overshadow the last work of the former creative director, like it happened with Alessandro Michele´s sort of revolution at Gucci. He knew that the Florentine fashion house needs to be refreshed, rejuvenated and to court a younger clientele. The result of his work in the last-two season as a creative director and consequently all Gucci-hysteria during this time confirms that he is right and that is going in the right direction. This is the same intent by the Dior creative team, who realized the S/S 2016 haute couture collection and has also been conscripted to realize the f/w 2016/2017 ready-to-wear collection shown in March.

Under the helm of studio directors Serge Ruffieux and Lucie Meier, the team produced a couture collection with a big accent on the wearability as a couture´s new realism. They imagine a modern Parisienne with her easy savoir-fair when combining clothes and accessories, by offering a contemporary reinterpretation of the fashion house archive. A revisited Bar jacket worn over panelled-skirt, a series of black tulle dresses with deep-cut necklines inspired by the famous 1949 Dior Junon dress and those off-shoulder coats and dresses, typical for Dior, are just some examples.  In few words something less sculptural- immovably and less Hollywood-Oscar-like gala dresses, but more practical, fresh and easy, with that ready-to-wear aftertaste. Can that announce the end of the real couture or it´s actually a clever way to maintain this noble tradition of fashion in highest levels by drawing nearer to the young clientele and extending the circle of (possible) new customers?  Maybe. Probably. As usual time will tell and confirm.

DIOR COUTURE S/S 2016 SET

On Monday 26 the Christian Dior haute couture spring-summer 2016 collection was shown at the Musée Rodin in a really captivating mirrored setting. Take a look to both behind-the-scenes videos, first one showing the whole "making-of" set process and in the second one the result.

AMONG BOWS

dior s/s 2016

photographer morgan o'donovan
paris fashion week wmns
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NOVELTIES #37

no more RAF SIMONS at dior

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Raf Simons announced that is leaving Christian Dior, after three and a half years at the helm of the luxury French fashion house, citing personal reasons. This is not really a true novelty anymore; actually the news is already a part of public dominion, but still a must-report, due its importance and heaviness in the fashion industry.

He's departing Dior after he "reached this decision for personal reasons", said Dior in a statement.

"It is after careful and long consideration that I have decided to leave my position as creative director of Christian Dior's women's collection. It is a decision based entirely and equally on my desire to focus on other interests in my life, including my own brand, and the passions that drive me outside my work. Christian Dior is an extraordinary company, and it has been an immense privilege to write a few pages of this magnificent book." – said Raf.

A successor and all novelties in relation to Dior´s future are yet to be announced.

other novelties...

LEELEE

leelee sobieski

womenswear s/s 2016

photographer phil oh

paris fashion week

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ROSE KISSED FACE

Dior make-up director Peter Philips made a soft girlish look for the S/S 2016 collection.  He started by using a soft garden pink palette on the eyelids, lips and cheeks, and then blended the shades to obtain more subtle effect, while he left eyelashes and brows completely bare. The result was a natural, fresh and sensual look at the same time.

/ original images courtesy of sonny vandevelde /

NOVELTIES #30

ALEXANDER WANG 10th anniversary collection

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Wang is only 31 and his namesake brand is already celebrating its first 10^th anniversary with a retrospective capsule collection. How is that? Super cool, isn´t it? He started his own venture at the age of 21 and only after two years at Parsons. In this decade the brand rose a lot and is still doing, not to mention his nearly three years as the creative director of Balenciaga.

The 10 items capsule collection, starring Anna Ewers in the lookbook photographed by Gregory Harris, among others features fall 2008´s low waisted leather pants, spring 2009´s mesh dress with graphic embellishment, fall 2009´s moto leather jacket with fur fringe and the spring 2010´s athletic-inspired leather shorts. You can already shop it on the Wang´s official site.

other novelties...

GRIMES

haute couture f/w 2015/2016

photographer tommy ton

paris fashion week

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NOVELTIES #23

DONNA KARAN leaving her eponymous brand

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Via a press release Donna Karan announced that after three decades heading the design of her iconic American fashion house, she is leaving her role as a chief designer. She revealed:” LVMH and I have made this decision after much soul-searching. I have arrived at a point in my life where I need to spend more time to pursue my Urban Zen commitment to its fullest potential and follow my vision of philanthropy and commerce with a focus on health care, education and preservation of cultures. After considering the right time to take this step for several years, I feel confident that DKI has a bright future and a strong team in place."

The company announcing that they are not currently looking for a replacement for Karan and there will be no spring/summer 2016 catwalk show at New York Fashion Week this September. But, while Karan will no longer be creating collections for the brand that she established in 1984 with her late husband Stephan Weiss, she will stay on as a close adviser to DKI, including the DKNY brand, under a long-term agreement.

Karan's independently own Urban Zen label is a lifestyle brand that creates simple, timeless basics in neutral hues, complemented by jewellery, accessories and handmade home furnishings. It is said to be introducing a yoga line later this year.

other novelties...

NOVELTIES #17

vaccarello´s debut collection for VERSUS VERSACE

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We did say it many times and nothing has changed; actually fashion in its schedule-calendar things is getting crazier and crazier. Summer didn´t officially started yet, while many fashion houses are into their pre-fall 2016 season already. We are also one, max two steps away before the S/S2016 menswear´s collections will start. To get even more confused with all seasons and everything (the best way to know in which season are we now, is to look your weather situation) “helped us” Versace.  Few days ago the Italian fashion house showcased in London the F/W 2015/2016 collection for Versus Versace; the debut one by Anthony Vaccarello. In total 17 looks, three among them for men, full of Versace dna (and super-pleased that there are no logos and fluos).  You can take a look and even buy already the pieces from the collection on their main site.

other novelties...