The Christian Dior Haute Couture Spring Summer 25 fashion show, titled The Flowers We Grew and imagined by Maria Grazia Chiuri, kicked off the prestigious Paris Couture Week schedule on Monday. Haute couture being an important tradition at the house of Dior, it was a triumph of fantasy, blending historical references with bold reinventions.

Feathered punk mohawks perched atop models’ heads, while bamboo cage skirts adorned with trailing organza, lace, and raffia flowers and butterflies created an ethereal spectacle. Set against the hauntingly soulful backdrop of Fred again.. and Angie McMahon’s light dark light, the collection mirrored the emotional complexities of the moment: unease intertwined with resilience.

The set ...

As always, Chiuri honoured the artisans at Dior’s couture atelier. The show’s breathtaking set featured nine textile panels embroidered by Chanakya ateliers and the Chanakya School of Craft in Mumbai. These panels brought Indian artist Rithika Merchant’s fantastical paintings to life, with trees bearing watchful eyes and embroidered stitches fusing mythology, science, and speculative fiction. This collaboration underscored the intricate craftsmanship that defines Dior couture, from hand-sewn flowers to exquisite featherwork.

The guests ...

Dior ambassadors were out in force at Monday’s Dior Couture show in Paris, with Jenna Ortega, Camille Cottin, Mallo Wanecque, Elizabeth Debicki and Angelina Woreth being joined by House friends Venus Williams, Araya Alberta Hargate and Ava Phillippe.

The clothes ...

Chiuri’s vision transported the audience to a realm where fashion defies the boundaries of time. She reimagined these classics into playful minidresses and miniskirts, allowing bare legs to take centre stage while retaining a sense of practicality with cleverly layered underpinnings. In Chiuri’s hands, crinoline evolved into a modern statement, its concealed structure giving way to floral embroidery and threads that danced with movement, like beaded jellyfish – or branches swaying in the wind.

The collection notes described the show as an exploration of sartorial memory, disrupting linear time and inviting the audience into a dimension "dominated by constant mutations of meaning". It was a wonderland of contrasts, where petal capes and feathered punk mohawks intertwined with lace-trimmed tulle culottes, evoking a playful spirit, blending childlike whimsy with grown-up edge. There were also plenty of historical references visible throughout – from Elizabethan collars to sixteenth century hoop skirts.