At Paris Fashion Week, Creative Director Maria Grazia Chiuri gives significance to athleticism through the mythology of Diana of Versailles
Maria Grazia Chiuri is arming women for the runway like modern-day Amazons ready for battle. For Dior’s Spring/Summer 2025 ready-to-wear collection, the creative director fuses ancient myth and athleticism in a show presenting a sparring match between the feminine and the fierce, where fashion meets the field of play for the Maison.
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The runway set is not your average strut and pose; in fact, it can be hard-hitting on the arms. This season, an actual archer took center stage, shooting an arrow right into the heart of the eye. With precision and grace, SAGG Napoli, an artist known for her use of archery, created a spectacle that resonated with the very core of the collection: feminine strength. Each model became a modern-day goddess as if preparing for some mythical contest, their garments telling stories of athleticism and autonomy.
Chiuri, ever the historian of female power, turned to Diana of Versailles for inspiration. The Roman goddess of hunting, one hand gripping an arrow, the other commanding a deer, served as the creative spark for Chiuri’s vision. Her chiton, hiked for speed, became the blueprint for this season’s take on fashion-forward athleticism. With this formidable figure in mind, Chiuri took to the Dior SS25 runway with a collection that celebrated the elegance and resilience of the female body.
The collection revives the Dior archives but with a sporty twist. She channels the Amazone dress from Christian Dior’s Autumn/Winter 1951 collection, a homage to warrior women who, like Olympic athletes, push boundaries. But instead of going full gladiator, Chiuri infuses the designs with a sleek, graphic modernity. Black and white contrasts dominate—checks and stripes that play with the Miss Dior logo, stretched to its limits like an athlete testing their strength. The look is sharp, precise, and unyielding.
There’s nothing dainty here. In theory, it’s more Formula One. White shirts are paired with black skirts and trousers, creating a duality that feels more like a power move than a style statement. Bright red bomber jackets add a pop of boldness, like a boxer’s glove mid-swing, while metallic accents shimmer like medals. Even the dresses are in on the action, with jersey fabrics that cling and move like a second skin, and sport shirts given a couture upgrade with shiny embellishments. It’s fashion, but not as you know it—these pieces are ready for the arena.
Chiuri takes the athletics theme one step further, reflecting on the very idea of gender equality and inclusivity through the lens of sport. Just as athletes push past their limits, this collection challenges traditional ideas of femininity. “May the building of a strong mind and a strong body be the greatest work I have ever made,” reads one of the slogans in the show. It’s clear that, for Chiuri, fashion is about how it empowers you.
The Dior SS25 show isn’t just an homage to athletes or ancient goddesses. It’s a celebration of the body—its power, its grace, and its capacity to break barriers. Just like the archer hitting her target, Maria Grazia Chiuri’s collection strikes competitive spirit, making the runway a battleground where women are more than ready to win.
