Dior celebrates youth and whimsy at Paris Haute Couture show

Dior celebrated youth, whimsy and escapism in the gardens of the Musée Rodin at Paris Haute Couture week.

The spring/summer collection was a fashion fantasy set among the surreal embroidery of Indian artist Rithika Merchant, whose tapestry depicted colourful creatures and dreamlike illustrations.

Dior showcased fun and fantasy at it’s haute couture show (Lewis Joly/AP)

Dior’s creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri has long imbued the strength and power of women within her designs, and it appears for this collection, she has turned her attention to girls.

“For this collection I was inspired by the Trapeze Line of Yves Saint Laurent because in some ways it references children’s clothing,” says Chiuri.

Chiuri was inspired by Yves Saint Laurent’s Sixties ‘Trapeze’ style (Lewis Joly/AP)

“I believe that our childhood should be revisited because it is a very formative time of our existence,” she says.

“I believe that whoever wants to do a creative job has to look at their work with the eyes and the awe of someone who has never seen these things before to create an aspect of dreams.”

As the first female creative director in the label’s 70-year history, Chiuri has been transforming the Dior into a more youthful, feminist label since joining in 2016, often citing her daughter Rachele Regini as a muse.

Chiuri has injected a youthful spirit into the Dior shows, influenced by her daughter, Rachele (Lewis Joly/AP)

The silhouette that dominated the runway is far more structured than Chiuri’s usual style, and steered away from the draped, fluid lines of last season’s haute couture show.

Saint Laurent launched his ‘Trapeze Line’ collection in 1958, deviating from the romantic lines of Dior’s ‘New Look’, in an attempt to prove how women can look sexy without having to accentuate a slim waistline.

Inspired by this ground-breaking fashion initiative (which influenced the shift and swing dresses of the Sixties) Chiuri showcased an abbreviated take on frock coats and cocooning outerwear.

Shift jackets and swing dresses dominated the runway (Lewis Joly/AP)

The collection’s consistent play on proportions didn’t mean the details were pared back though.

Dramatically sweeping and densely ruffled fabrics imbued a sense of motion – as though the gowns were taking flight from the reality of the runway into a world of fantasy.

Extravagant embellishments featured flowers and butterflies evoking a naturalism, which was made famous by Christian Dior’s ‘Miss Dior’ dress of 1949.

Ostentatious ruffles imbued a sense of childlike fun (Lewis Joly/AP)

Chuiri’s use of transparent organza, broderie anglaise and lace attached to cage-like crinolines with streaming ribbons showcased a naïve rawness – as if the models had been caught playing dress up.

While the fabrics were fancifully feminine, Chuiri’s monochromatic palette alongside the Sixties accents of Jackie O shift coats and military jackets signals the 1960s revival in 2025 fashion.

Transparent crinolines evoked a rawness within the collection (Lewis Joly/AP)

Celebrities sitting front row included Pamela Anderson, Venus Williams, Elizabeth Debicki and Jenna Ortega – all of whom channelled the sombre palette of the collection.

Model and actor Pamela Anderson, 57, wore a slate grey suit, with an Alice band and veil and matching Lady Dior bag.

Pamela Anderson wore a wool Dior suit (Lewis Joly/AP)

The Crown star Elizabeth Debicki, 34, kept it simple in all-black, with sharp suit trouser, pointed kitten heels and a quilted Lady D-Joy micro.

Elizabeth Debicki wore a cashmere crewneck and tailored trousers (Lewis Joly/AP)

Actor Jenna Ortega, 22, best known for depicting Wednesday Addams, wore a peplum suit and micro shorts with cinching waist buckles, black leather opera gloves and dark cat eye sunglasses.

Jenna Ortega channelled Noughties fashion with a peplum top and micro shorts (Lewis Joly/AP)

This latest collection was presented amid fierce speculation that Chiuri will soon be exiting the house to be replaced by Irish designer Jonathan Anderson, who is currently creative director at fellow LVMH house Loewe, which he is credited with turning into one of the most desirable luxury fashion brands in recent years. Anderson also heads his own label JW Anderson.