In glittering luxury fashion, Dior transformed Mumbai’s grand, historic gateway to India into an airport filled with celebrity, beauty and craftsmanship.
MUMBAI — In a spectacular flash of luxury fashion on Thursday, Dior transformed Mumbai’s grand, historic Gateway of India monument into a runway laden with celebrity, beauty and craftsmanship.
Flanked by the brightly lit Taj Mahal Hotel, the stunning jewels transformed the heritage venue in India’s entertainment and business capital into a burst of color and style as models lined up to showcase the Paris fashion house’s pre-fall 2023 collection.
A runway filled with traditional Indian floral motifs, Indian art and craft took center stage in creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri’s collection while live musicians serenaded to eclectic beats.
The line featured silk dresses, evening wear and sari-inspired dresses, referencing traditional Indian imagery. The show opened with an array of neutrals, subtly transitioning to forest green before bursting into flames with bright colors and patterns. Throughout it all, most models sported strings of pearls wound around their necks.
“I wanted to personally celebrate and showcase the amazing knowledge that India has to offer to the global fashion world in the field of embroidery, the artisans who continue to work on this craft and the commitment of the founders of Chanakya to preserve the history and culture of India, expressed in each embroidery technique,” Chiuri said in an Instagram post.
Dior has had a long relationship with India through the Mumbai-based Atelier Chanakya, which works with artisans and vulnerable women. The show also brought attention to the Indian luxury fashion market where major western fashion brands such as Pierre Cardin, Yves Saint Laurent and Valentino presented their collections.
India, currently the fifth largest economy in the world, has always been known for its intricate embroidery, textiles and jewellery. A young and aspirational middle class with easy access to the internet – and a growing number of the uber-wealthy – has quickly emerged as a key consumer market for global fashion labels.
Many Indian designers have opened stores in fashion capitals of the world like New York and Dubai and showcased their collections in international fashion weeks.
Celebrities attending the Dior show included actress Maisie Williams, who played Arya Stark in “Game of Thrones,” Freda Pinto, Simon Ashley and Sonam Ahuja Kapoor.