This year saw the departure of one of very few women at the top of a mega fashion brand. Maria Grazia Chiuri’s Dior tenure was a historic one. As the first and only woman so far to have headed up the Maison, she brought a distinctly female sensibility to the brand. Christian Dior’s iconic New Look and much of his work was built on corsetry and padding—the designer’s beauty ideal being heavily informed by his romantic view of the Belle Epoque era. During her almost decade-long stewardship of the brand, Chiuri has consistently respected that spirit of making women beautiful, but she also rooted her work in wearability, pragmatism and lightness. Her Dior woman was always unconstricted; wearing the clothes, instead of the other way round. 

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For her final outing, presented for Cruise 2026, Chiuri went back to where it all began for her: Rome, her hometown. The collection she showed was a mix of haute couture and ready-to-wear, though the level of craft was so elevated for both—not to mention her unostentatious approach to couture—that it made it hard to tell which was which. 

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For inspiration, Chiuri looked to the heyday of Roman cinema, when stars like Sophia Loren and Gina Lollobrigida sizzled on screen, and directors like Luchino Visconti and Federico Fellini dominated, and Hollywood flocked to film at the Cinecitta. The result was cinematic; sensual, but in a subtle way and shot through with a sense of strength. See the inky velvet tux jacket worn over a completely sheer blouse with a pussybow edged in lace, accessorised with a matching black lace mask. 

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Meanwhile, a see-through, floor-length ruffled skirt worn with a sharply tailored vest and jacket exemplified the masculine-feminine aesthetic that Chiuri has made her signature at Dior. Of course, when in Rome, there is no escaping the Vatican. Flashes of Catholic ceremonialism came through in pieces like the austere black coat trimmed in cardinal red. 

At the end of the day and regardless of who is at the helm, a lot of women go to Dior for fabulous dresses—and Chiuri definitely delivered, sending out plenty of pieces her fans will want to collect. Standouts include a shimmering mesh number draped like liquid gold, a red lace confection sliced open from shoulder to wrist for an unexpected flash of skin, and a white column of densely textured lace. Chiuri’s Dior chapter might have come to a close, but she made sure to end on a high note. 

PHOTOGRAPHED BY ERWINSHAH HASSAN
STYLED BY JEFFREY YAN
MAKE-UP & HAIR BY RICK YANG