Dior has decided that the show must go on. Only, things will run a little differently given the current COVID-19 pandemic that has shaken up normality in 2020. Dior has announced it will go ahead with its plans to present its Cruise 2021 collection, but instead of a traditional fashion show, it will live-stream its runway presentation to the world.
Dior are the first fashion house to return to the runway following the worldwide shutdown of events amidst the coronavirus crisis.
The collection was originally planned to debut on May 9, but with Italy particularly hard-hit by COVID-19 and most of the world in lockdown, they had to come up with a Plan B.
Its audience-free show will take place at the historic Piazza del Duomo in Lecce, on July 22, 2020. The show will mark the first time Dior will present a collection in Italy.
The joint decision by CEO and president of Dior, Pietro Beccari, and artistic director Maria Grazia Chiuri to proceed with the fashion show in this new format was driven by a desire to instil hope during these unprecedented times. “When it comes to fashion, nothing carries the emotion of a real fashion show,” Beccari said in a virtual press conference. “We would like with this to send a message of hope, of optimism, and for some people, rebirth after this period of difficulty.”
Dior’s Cruise 2021 collection will be a celebration of the traditional arts and crafts of Puglia, while also paying tribute to the landscapes unique to this region – a land that has long held a deep importance for Chiuri’s designs.
Beccari also announced that Dior will show at Paris Fashion Week in September, but it’s unlikely it will be business as per usual. “We hope to be able to have some audience, if not a full room,” he said.
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