Maria Grazia Chiuri describes the new 2023 Dior cruise collection as a journey of inner and outer exploration. Showcasing Seville as its main theme and location, the collection is an ode to the house’s native country and history.
Entitled La Capitana, Carmen Amaya—an illustrious dancer who embodied the essence of Flamenco—serves as this collection’s chief inspiration. Born in 1913 in Barcelona, she was revolutionary in both her singular movements and in her choice to wear traditional male clothing during her performances.
The 2023 Spring/Summer Seville show frames the dual spirit of this collection’s muse : it begins with a beautiful sequence in which a man and a woman are tap-dancing. Dancers in red Dior costumes slowly make their choir-like entry, as if orchestrated by the tap-artists. Echoing back to Christian Dior’s 1956 “Ball à Seville” dress, the models file out under the jaw-dropping Plaza de España, built in 1929 for the Iberico-American Exposition.
The profusion of red and black earth tones, and the use of patterns such as traje de lunares polka-dots, echo back to the infamous flamenco dress. Equestrian elements are also found in concord chaps, horsemen trousers, cavalier boots, bar jackets, and high-waisted suits.
Accessories are placed back at the forefront, with short jackets festooned with Chinese branderbourg closures, wide-brimmed hats, and belts—even the emblematic Dior saddle bag is revisited accordingly. Ponchos, boleros, and the Manilla shawl are also reconceptualized with a sharper edge and tailoring.
“The looks embody the passionate dialogue between the excellence of Dior’s ateliers and the wealth of Andalusian craftsmanship” stated the luxury brand. Paying homage to Andalusian savoir-faire, Dior collaborated with Javier Menacho Guisado, Fernandez y Roche, Jesús Rosado, Abanicos Carbonell, and María José Sachez Espinar, alongside many Andalusian artisans.
