For her SS24 collection, Maria Grazia Chiuri looked back at the grand history of Dior, back when Monsieur Dior himself was in charge, and considered the house’s perspective on womanhood. Dior was a man, of course, so when he designed his legendary outfits, he designed them as a man would look at a woman. With this collection, Chiuri brought a distinctly feminist gaze to the runway.

Speaking of the runway, fuchsia and yellow is a brave choice, but it strangely worked here. The in-your-face colour scheme worked with the equally as fierce iconography of the screens that surrounded the crowd. The video installation by Italian artist Elena Bellatoni proclaimed slogans like “My Body Is Not A Product” as the models paraded down the runway. A brave choice to make, especially as the fashion industry has often been central to these criticisms.

The looks themselves were a fairly Gothic affair. Lots of black lace and frayed hems. Blazers were cinched and shirts were oversized, cuffs swallowed up hands. The Eiffel Tower, in extreme out-of-focus, appeared on some blazers in a little nod to the great city of fashion, whilst birds-eye view maps of Parisian streets formed patterns on coats and pleated skirts. A standout silhouette has to be the one-sleeved top, looking almost wrong in its construction, as if someone has attempted to wear a shirt very unsuccessfully, but very brilliantly. It’s playful and chic, like the best of Dior.