When fashion changes society: Maria Grazia Chiuri and feminism beyond slogans

What are the clothing items, events, fashion shows or fashion press campaigns that have perfectly reflected, and supported, the major social changes?
A historic maison like Dior, like all big brands, it carries with it the great responsibility of a heritage, but also of the transmutation of the latter into values ​​to be amplified in the contemporary era. It goes without saying that the moment the artistic direction comes the first woman ever to cover this position, the messages reflected in the fashion collections also acquire a whole new weight. And the debut fashion show by Maria Grazia Chiuri at Dior was a happy confirmation of this.

The one presented in Paris by the new artistic director of the maison was the Spring / Summer 2017 collection: a series of surprising creations, which perfectly embodied the new and daring course undertaken by the designer, from aesthetics to… social contents.

Although taking up the atemporal codes of Dior, Maria Grazia Chiuri immediately underlined a completely new approach to women’s clothing, with a fundamental focus on daytime clothing. An attention never fully developed by the brand, which reaffirms how much the female gaze, or the female gaze on women themselves and their needs, is often the key to change. “I want to introduce a natural attitude into the maison, to dress women to feel at ease, to feel their beauty,” said Chiuri after the fashion show, gradually introducing a macro theme that is as much discussed as it is misinterpreted: feminism.

In fact, in the analysis and research phase for her first Dior collection, the designer not only dived into the archives, but was also inspired by a fundamental reading: Women running with wolves by Clarissa Estés, a book on the archetype of the wild woman and on attempts by the patriarchy to suppress its force in society.

“When you are a woman who makes clothes for women, fashion is not just about your appearance. It’s about how you feel and how you think, ”said the artistic director a The Guardian, continuing, “I’m not interested in the old stereotypes of what a feminist looks like or doesn’t look like. I don’t think there is a way to be a feminist ». A phrase that, together with the awareness of the infinite possibilities of being a woman, is told in the Spring / Summer 2017 collection through dresses and dress codes that are fluid and powerful at the same time.

The opening look of the show, worn by model Ruth Bell, with fiercely short hair, featured a white fencing jacket, matelassée, and sportswear shorts: a real jolt for anyone expecting a debut with romantic notes. An inspiration, the art of fencing, which Maria Grazia Chiuri introduced as fusion of mind and heart, what «women always need to realize themselves». Romanticism then arrived among dresses in transparent chiffon, accents of tulle and broderie on the theme of astrology and tarot cards – so loved by Monsieur Christian Dior – with continuous references to strength of mother earth and feminine energy.

But the most popular looks were others: those consisting of a “simple” and white T-shirt. A basic garment that, however, has made a lot of talk about itself because of the reported slogans – in all senses – black on white: Dio (r) evolutionto highlight the new chapter inaugurated by Chiuri, e We should all be feministsor We will all have to be feminists.

An invitation yes, but also a quote to the writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie – present, not surprisingly, in the front row together with the celebrities – whose TedX of 2013, titled just like the shirt appeared on the catwalk, went viral when it was sampled for Beyoncé’s anthem, Flawless. A declaration of emancipation from stereotypes and limits, from the more explicit messages of T-shirts, to the combination of romantic codes and punk accents, ultra-feminine details, and androgynous garments or taken freely from the sports wardrobe. Because? To make people understand once and for all that there is no type of woman. There are hundreds, thousands, millions of them. And it is precisely the awareness of one’s uniqueness that makes them free.

Other stories of Vanity Fair that may interest you:

– When fashion changes society: Pyer Moss and anti-racism

– When fashion changes society: Jean Paul Gaultier beyond the gender binary

– When fashion changes society: Carrie Hammer and disability on the catwalk