ITS BEEN eight years since Maria Grazia Chiuri’s debut collection for Dior. Ever since then, she has been on a journey of tying strong women from past and present to the longstanding legacy of the House, bringing Greek mythology, artists and actors to the seams of clothes.
But spring-summer 2025 felt almost full-circle. Having first referenced fencing uniforms back in 2016, this season the show was centred on archery, specifically Italian archer Sagg Napoli who stood between two glass walls and took aim.
With the multi-disciplinary artist hitting bullseye, the collection unraveled beginning with a trio of asymmetrically cut bodysuits. This season, the focus shifted on the body and the relationship our clothes have with it, looking at the link between function and intention.
Naturally starting with the archives, Maria Grazia Chiuri was drawn to the Amazone dress from Christian Dior’s AW1951 collection that accentuates the female form. From this starting point, she reassembled parts of it and reinterpreted sections of the unassembled structure to align with a variation of looks that catered less to the male gaze and more to the wearer’s needs.
The first half of the collection felt more mature. Long black gauntlet leather gloves, off-the-shoulder blazers, below-the-knee dresses and white shirts. But then it slowly became more modern, certainly more youthful and maybe a little obvious with the sporting references.
Tracksuit bottoms, motorbike attire two-pieces and mesh dresses, along with a black and white chequered motif that emulates the flags in car races, these certainly were daywear looks. Then again, athleisure has become such an integral part of streetstyle, why can’t fashion Houses cater to what’s really being worn day-to-day?
From a pure black-and-white collection, the SS25 finished on a golden note. Shimmering fringes adorned the hem of bodysuits swishing past and another trio finalised the show with a subtle variation of tulle evening gowns that caressed the torso and arms.
“For centuries the image of the woman with a bow has always been connected to a warrior woman. The bow was a weapon. I don’t want to play into that image. Why would I want to be a warrior,” is how Napoli explained her art.
And in the same manner, Maria Grazia Chiuri doesn’t want to be unrealistic. Women shouldn’t have to lose their femininity in order to feel strong. The two can co-exist and maybe the strength lies in simplicity. Maybe it really is as black and white as that.
by Imogen Clark
Get a closer look at the collection with these exclusive images:
