ANNOUNCED earlier today, Maria Grazia Chiuri has stepped down from her position as womenswear creative director of Dior after nine years.
Two days ago, she presented her Cruise 2026 collection for the House in her birthplace of Rome marking the end of her triumphant tenure. The 80 looks acted as the magnum opus of her era here, bringing the very spirit of her debut in 2017 and the silhouettes she has continually leaned into, to one final show.
Presented in the gardens of the 18th century Villa Albani Torlonia under a light drizzle of rainfall, Cruise 2026 was split into two halves: the first 49 looks were ready-to-wear, and the next 31 were haute couture. Taking inspiration from Mimì Pecci-Blunt, an adored patron of the arts known for her gatherings that pulled in artists and musicians like Salvador Dalí, Jean Cocteau and Camille Claudel, the designer decided to stage her own Bal de l’Imagination in honour of the figure and as a love letter to the Eternal City.
Since the very start of her time at Dior, Maria Grazia Chiuri has continually reached into the various realms of the art world, inviting creatives from around the globe to design patterns, sets and embroidery for her collections – bridging the gap between high fashion and diverse creativity season upon season.
Her enduring commitment to local craftsmanship was once again on full display for Cruise 2026. Collaborating with Italian artisans to produce the lace, ceramic-inspired embellishments and silks that mimicked frescoed ceilings and mosaics, it felt like a preservation of history that was intertwined into the clothes.
The silhouettes spoke in whispers and declarations. Ethereal gowns, barely there in translucent layers of ivory tulle, floated down the runway like figures out of Botticelli paintings. Familiar motifs like laurel wreaths, winged goddesses and ancient scripture gave a nod to the undulating history of the land.
Balancing out the raw femininity of these looks with military precision, coats and tailoring were sharply executed with cinched waists tied together with gold-etched belts. Black velvet cloaks and dark eye masks added regal tension, giving masculine form to quiet beauty.
Adrien Dirand © Fondazione Torlonia
Now seen as more than just a collection but as a final goodbye, Cruise 2026 was equally about memory as it was about myth. Recreating a vision of femininity that draws strength from its roots and looks fearlessly at the future.
by Imogen Clark