Dior fashion show | Scottish queens and warriors in majesty

(Crieff) With punk tartan, chain mail and magical ball gowns, the French house Dior paid homage Monday evening to the traditions and rebellious character of Scotland, where it presented its 2025 cruise collection in the setting of a majestic castle.

Outside of Fashion Weeks, the big houses have gotten into the habit of taking the fashion world on a journey with their “cruises”, spectacular fashion shows organized in spring in the four corners of the world.

After Athens, Seville and Mexico, the artistic director of Dior’s women’s lines since 2016, Maria Grazia Chiuri, this time drew her inspiration from the folklore of Scotland, and privatized the sumptuous Drummond Castle, in Perthshire, to unveil her creations.

Monday evening, influencers, creators and celebrities were welcomed within these walls steeped in history, overlooking delicate Renaissance gardens where an army of waiters in elegant black kilts crowded around.

In front of an audience of Dior muses –– Jennifer Lawrence, Anya Taylor-Joy, Rosamund Pike and Laetitia Casta – and under a radiant sun, the models appeared to the sound of bagpipes, descending the imposing stone stairs before going to lose yourself in the labyrinth of hedges and century-old trees.

Then appear, around a bush, the silhouettes of warriors, long braids down their backs, clad in leather, chain mail and flashy breastplates.

Then others, magical, with lace collars, capes, heavy velvet ball gowns and pearl-embroidered corsets.

The styles intermingle and soon the skirts open onto thigh-high boots, take the form of a kilt or give way to shorts, teddys, knee-high socks and punk-inspired leather and silver choker necklaces.

At the heart of this collection, tartan, the famous Scottish checkered fabric, is available on most of the pieces in purple, golden or downright red tones, with a claimed grunge spirit.

Maria Grazia Chiuri combined this traditional fabric with punk culture “with enormous grace […] it was magnificent,” commented French actress Camille Cottin after the show.

Wanting to marry “past and future”, the parade also mixes bagpipes and 1980s pop, highlighting the group Eurythmics and its Scottish singer Annie Lennox.

Embroidery art

The artistic director of Dior, who generally places her collections under the sign of a “strong female figure”, this time was inspired by Mary Stuart, Queen of Scotland and tragic heir to the English throne.

Detained for almost 20 years before being executed, this free and powerful woman created impressive embroideries “to find comfort, to reflect and to express herself,” explained Maria Grazia Chiuri on Instagram.

She therefore wanted to revalorize the art of embroidery in her collection, and highlight Scottish motifs such as the unicorn and the thistle.

In this land of textiles, the haute couture house, which belongs to the world number one luxury company LVMH, has once again joined forces with local artisans and creators. She notably worked with Samantha McCoach, founder of the Le Kilt brand, who reinterprets this essential of the Scottish wardrobe.

This parade also pays tribute to the history of the house, and to the love of its founder, Christian Dior, for Scotland and its traditions.

Almost 70 years ago, he organized a spectacular parade in the ballroom of the Gleneagles Hotel, a few kilometers from the castle, followed by an evening of dancing with high society.

For houses like Dior, these “cruise” fashion shows in exceptional locations play a major role for the brand’s image, at a time when the luxury industry is struggling to bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic.

LVMH saw its sales decline by 2% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2024. This is due to inflation which is slowing purchases in Europe and the United States, and consumption which is struggling to restart in China.

In addition to sales, the arrival of Dior will have “focused the eyes of the whole world” on Scotland, Caroline Warburton, one of the heads of the VisitScotland agency, told AFP.