Monsieur Christian Dior had presented his 1955 Spring-Summer collection in Scotland Perthshire and thus marked the beginning of a passionate dialogue with the region’s embroidery traditions. 70 years later, Maria Grazia Chiuri decided to honor the Maison’s legacy by returning to Scotland for this year’s cruise show, in a Scotch romanticism with a punk twist.
Set amongst the blooming flowers of the 17th century Scottish Renaissance Drummond Castle Gardens, the silhouettes oscillated between medieval silhouettes and punk rockstars with their biker boots and revisited corsets. The textiles were heavily inspired by the region’s long-standing craftsmanship techniques and of course bagpipes, that opened the show. The kilt itself was used in a combination of different colors and cuts, a fabric characteristic to that region that transcends past and present from romanticism to punk. The designer collaborated with local craft and manufacturing technicians such as Harris Tweed who use traditional treadle looms to weave fabric from an islander’s home. Robert Mackie has produced hats for the country’s military since the late-1800s. In an attempt to illustrate the industry’s globalized and diverse techniques, Chiuri often brings her collections to different parts of the world to explore the wide range of craft methods that offer a different narrative to the established Milan and Paris.
Maria Grazia Chiuri was heavily inspired by Mary Queen of Scots who played a significant role in Scotland’s history and spent decades embroidering as a creative outlet used for expression and reflection. The maison’s embroidery skills were shown against the castle’s backdrop on skirts and cups, white lace bibs and dresses with chainmail tops, a truly beautiful cocktail of past and present. The various textured materials of velvet and lace were contrasted to contemporary riders. There were a number of darker more iridescent pieces sometimes adorned with pearls and white colors used to blacken up the somber black. She created a uniform for the modern-day Mary Queen of Scots.
There were even maps of Scotland on some of the line’s creation, beautiful sketchings of Scotland’s cartography. Attention to detail was particularly celebrated as there were unicorns and thistle representing Scotland’s mythological symbols on the textile’s motifs.
While the spring sun set in the gardens, many friends and ambassadors of the Maison were in attendance, from Anya Taylor Joy to Jennifer Lawrence and Lily Collins. Also in the front row were Yoko Araki, Rosamund Pike and Maisie Williams.
