Dior Goes Back to Basics With Elevated, Pared-Back Couture

At Dior’s fall 2023 haute couture show, 66 models strode down the catwalk at the Musée Rodin wearing a sea of neutrals, all constructed in pristine and classical shapes. There were tunics, peplums, capes, and stoles, all done up with barely any embellishment.

In this way, creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri flipped the script on couture by presenting a collection that was steeped in simplicity. The sheath cape dresses without an ounce of embellishment seemed like they’d be catnip for the Dior couture client. Everyday winter fabrics like wool and cashmere meshed with the smallest hint of sparkle, barely visible to the eye upon first glance. Pearls, a symbol of purity, were used with much restraint.

In the wild world of haute couture, it often feels like bells and whistles are king. Chiuri’s collection, therefore, felt like a rebellion: peeling back the layers, removing all the extra toppings, and revealing something simple, subtle, and true to the creative dialog she’s created since beginning her tenure at Dior in 2016.

“During the research I conducted for this collection, I noted this important phrase that Monsieur Dior said at the Sorbonne in 1955, in which he was referring to the clothes from antiquity,” Grazia Chiuri told W. “He was saying that his work drew him closer, in a contemporary way, to that period since it wasn’t characterized by print, embroidery or cut—but instead, by an essential simplicity. In this sense, the collection also takes part in the reworking of very classic forms of couture, of the heritage of Dior, and of classic garments such as the peplum. But at the same time, they’re seen in a new light.”

The show notes, meanwhile, described the collection as “refining to perfection the sartorial elements that can be described as archetypal.” And many of the pieces presented looked strikingly everyday; cocoon-like coats and pleated blouses with empire waists offered up a new take on fashion that felt both seasonally transient and classic. Sheer gowns hinted at many of Chiuri’s collections of the past—in particular, the references she’s taken from Grecian aesthetics. “By perpetuating the cult of the goddess and reinterpreting the founding emblems of antiquity, the défilé becomes a contemporary ritual, illustrating the strength and fragility of femininity, which supports and sustains the community we form.”

It also wouldn’t be a Dior show without an immersive art collaboration. For the occasion, the label linked with Marta Roberti, who turned the runway into a painting riffing on the poses and iconographies of goddesses. Giant women, fronds, and exotic birds covered the venue.

If it were any other brand, or even a ready-to-wear collection, some might perceive this collection as too simple. But Chiuri clearly excels at catering to her vision of the Dior customer as well as reworking the preconceived ideas of women’s clothing. Many of the pieces presented in the collection were most appealing in their wearability. Who’s to say couture should only be reserved for red carpet events? Sometimes, basic is a good thing.