It all began in 1886 when France gifted the United States a colossal statue. Built by Gustave Eiffel (of the Tower fame), the Statue of Liberty was placed on an unused island in New York harbour and since then it has been an endless inspiration for artists worldwide. One of those many artists was Christian Dior who became totally enamoured with everything New York had to offer when he made his first visit in 1947. “To all my questions,” Dior wrote in his memoirs, “it was the city of New York itself which gave the best answer… My two days in New York were spent in a continuous state of wonder.”

Dior’s state of wonder has lived on in his House, even decades after his passing. Dior have shown in New York several times throughout the years and the House has established a close relationship with several major New York institutions. So it is no surprise that Maria Grazia Chiuri wanted to pay tribute to this special relationship with her Dior Fall 24 show.

On a catwalk set up inside the Brooklyn Museum and surrounded by neon artworks by the conceptual artist duo known as Claire Fontaine, Chiuri revealed her latest collection, which was a love letter from Paris to New York. The Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty found themselves abstractly sketched onto dresses, trench coats and even billowing tracksuit tops, whilst the words “New York” and “Paris” were rendered onto a pair of black tights. Eagled-eyed Dior die-hards will have also noticed the return of Galliano’s iconic newspaper print on the bag in Look #1, a print synonymous with Carrie Bradshaw and a very fitting nod to a New York legend. 

The collection wasn’t all about the prints, however. In her embodying of both American and European culture, Chiuri looked to Marlene Dietrich and her gender-bending style for many of the collection’s silhouettes. White shirts and wide ties, double-breasted blazers, varsity-style and black leather jackets hint towards more traditionally masculine codes whilst fringe dresses, oversized knits, and sheer dresses brought that certain Dior elegance to the runway.