Dior and Saint Laurent, two of the biggest names in French fashion, recently unveiled their latest collections at Paris Fashion Week. Both designers took inspiration from strong, independent women and nostalgia, creating collections that combined the past with the present.
Dior
Dior’s collection was presented under a giant surreal flower made of fluorescent textiles, offering a softer reworking of its classic New Look from the 1950s. Maria Grazia Chiuri, Dior’s designer, explained that she aimed to reclaim the 1950s for France because they have been monopolized in popular memory by the US. She chose Catherine Dior, Gréco, and Édith Piaf as muses for the season, who “lived very different lives, but shared a sense of rebellion – and who loved to wear black.” The collection was a moody, darkly chic vision of the 50s, in which the storm clouds of the next decade can be seen gathering on the horizon.
The shadow had a poised and graceful appearance that represented Dior’s fashion style in the late 1950s. At that time, Dior moved away from the extravagant full-skirted New Look to focus on sleeker, more geometric designs. Yves Saint Laurent, who worked as Dior’s assistant and took over the fashion house after Dior passed away in 1957, designed the “New York” dress, which consisted of a black, boxy jacket and a straight skirt. This style was reflected in the simple, dark skirts and jackets that were made using modern fabrics, making them more contemporary in feel.
Saint Laurent
At Saint Laurent, the vibe was much more about classic evening wear, but the designer, Anthony Vacarello, managed to add a modern twist. The collection featured billowing tops in silk and chiffon, slit pencil skirts, and many examples of the extreme 80s power-shouldered blazers. Simon Longland, director of buying for London’s Harrods department store, praised Vacarello’s ability to create a “strong and powerfully feminine collection—no one is messing with this Saint Laurent woman!” The show drew the audience into a dark, chandelier-lined runway, sending out a sensual lineup of night-club-ready eveningwear derived from office classics.
The sets for both shows were carefully crafted to reflect the themes of the collections. Dior’s collection was presented under a giant surreal flower made of fluorescent textiles, while Saint Laurent’s show evoked the ballroom of the Intercontinental Hotel, the label’s favored venue for haute couture collections in the late 1970s through the start of the 2000s. Both designers paid homage to a darkening world in their new collections, reflecting the current state of the world.
Dior and Saint Laurent’s latest collections were a testament to their ability to combine nostalgia with modernity. Both designers drew inspiration from strong, independent women and created collections that paid homage to the past while looking to the future. The sets for the shows were carefully crafted to reflect the themes of the collections, creating a cohesive experience for the audience.
Despite the very different vibe, both Chiuri and Vacarello seemed to pay homage to a darkening world in their new collections.
