Maria Grazia Chiuri is a chameleon between the past and the present. For Dior’s pre-fall 2025 collection, the creative director brought the house back to Japan, staging a runway underneath the flourishing cherry blossoms at the historic Toji Temple in Kyoto. The show paid modern homage to founder Christian Dior’s fascinating dalliance with the country, beginning with his Japanese Garden Outfit in 1953 and initial use of Tatsumura imported fabrics in his fall/winter 1954 collection. The result was a crisp, cool, and collected Dior woman that still honors tradition.
Combining French influence with the minimalist perfection of Japanese design, Chiuri struck a casual harmony against the serene backdrop of the temple’s cherry blossom gardens. A woven kimono-inspired jacket softly enveloped a button-down shirt with stiff extended cuffs, melding tailored rigidity with delicate craftsmanship. Each piece utilized the same motifs developed Dior nearly 70 years ago. To reprise the woven and painted arts of these fabrics, the designer called on local master of craft Tabata Kihachi and the Fukuda Craft Dyeing and Embroidery Research Institute.
This wearer felt a little less armored than Chiuri’s usual crinoline-laden feminist designs, but equally as strong. The downtown girl also made a surprise appearance, poking through the swaths of artisanal garments, sporting off-the-shoulder black sweaters, black bombers, a fur bolero, and an oversized charcoal denim coordinated set. Though edgier in appearance and palette, these looks still retained an unsurprising polish.
The collection did not go so far as to generate its own iteration of the now coveted high-fashion Tabi. Instead, it opted for takes on other traditional Japanese footwear silhouettes, including flat-soled thong boots, platform sandals, leg warmers, and ribbon-laced ballet flats. In the end, Chiuri still made her offering to today’s footwear fans.
Many of Mr. Dior’s successors, from Marc Bohan to Chiuri herself, have honored his deferential relationship with Japanese craftsmanship and design. Returning to Kyoto, the latter furthered this legacy. By figuratively dipping her designs into the garden’s waters, the runway, like many of her destination shows, became a totally immersive experience.
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