Post by Vincenzo Straziota

As promised, the Haute Couture Week chronicle continues. Now let's talk about Christian Dior Couture. Jonathan Anderson arrived at the gardens of the Musée Rodin on Monday with something remarkable already behind him: the bridal commission of the year, designing Taylor Swift's wedding dress. Whatever the weight of that moment, it didn't show as pressure on the runway. It showed as confidence. The setting was fitting for what followed. Thirty degrees, another Parisian heatwave, guests cooling themselves with the black bamboo fans Dior had sent with the invitations, Josh O'Connor, Alexa Chung and Baz Luhrmann in the front row. A black reflective catwalk dotted with large fern plants. And then the clothes. Anderson's theme was nature and gardens, explored through the work of American sculptor Lynda Benglis, whose signature material is the pleat. That preoccupation ran through everything: silk chiffon blouses, trousers and jackets built around pleated construction, giant blue tulle fans splayed across the front of a dress, and four bags created in direct collaboration with Benglis herself, giant and sculptural in metallic plissé. The Bar jacket, Dior's most iconic silhouette, was reimagined in fern green tweed with frayed fringe, or in grey houndstooth wool draped into a large bow. Several looks were constructed entirely of embroidered silk flowers. Coats were fluid and roomy, textured and fringed, or punctuated with dramatic pleats. The palette moved between grey, white and silver, lifted by vibrant greens and blues. Shoes arrived decorated with floral embellishments or pleated metal bows. Jewellery was designed by artisans in Jaipur, India. What Anderson is building at Dior is becoming clearer with each collection: a house where artisanal collaboration, sculptural thinking and a deep respect for the archive coexist without tension. Monday confirmed he is exactly where he needs to be. LVMH Fashion Network https://lnkd.in/e_943Zk9