Simply Abu Dhabi XXVII

Dior This is a momentous year for the Maison of Dior as the fashion powerhouse celebrates its 70th anniversary. The main inspirations for the autumn/winter 2017/18 haute couture show are the quote “A complete collection should address all types of women in all countries” fromChristian Dior’s autobiography Dior, and an impressive map by Albert Decaris showing the expansion of the brand in five continents. To celebrate the 70th milestone, Maria Grazia Chiuri, the company’s first female Creative Director, has created a collection acting as an atlas of the feminine. It's a two-way journey that Chiuri brings to the runway and the collection. The first is her recent journey from Rome to Paris to take up the new head position, showcasing the strength and courage of the new Dior woman. The second is her journey into Dior’s expansive archives, where the collections are guarded and curated in order to preserve the Maison’s history through the centuries to come. The result is a mix-and-match between flawless and fantastic ball gowns and the idea that a woman borrows masculine pieces that can be mixed with ethnic pieces. It’s a fascinating trip that Maria Grazia Chiuri has made in this collection, as it touches all the styles and female ideas created by Monsieur Dior and the designers that followed his legacy, as well giving a new imprint to Dior’s woman, making her youthful and stylishly cosmopolitan. Together with the haute couture show, the Maison celebrated its 70th anniversary with an exhibition entitled "Dior: couturier du rêve" held at the Museé des Arts Decoratives in Paris, including works by Dior’s designers from Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferrè, John Galliano, Raf Simons andMaria Grazia Chiuri. 1 1 2 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I