Dior Dances into Spring 2019

Ahead of their Spring 2019 show, Dior hinted that Maria Grazia Chiuri's inspiration this season was dance, but the event turned out to be about a lot more than just ballet flats, leotards, and flowing skirts. Instead of a model, opening the show was a contemporary dancer, captivating the audience with dramatic, suspended movements underneath spotlights and falling confetti. The moment was a little bit Martha Graham, a little bit Pina Bausch, setting the tone for a performance as integral to the show as the premiering looks.

The clothing itself took a clear inspiration from dance but models weren't literally walking down the runway in tutus and chic warm-up outfits. Instead, tulle was used in thinner layers for long skirts and shoulder moments, and elegant, flowing pieces were layered atop fashion interpretations on leotards, most often in a sheer or fishnet fabric. Shoe inspiration went beyond the ballet flat, also including sandals with straps resembling pointe shoe ribbons. While many models did wear headbands or carry duffel bags, the looks as a whole looked decidedly ready for the world outside the studio.

The show, inspired by female pioneers in dance including Graham, Bausch, and Isadora Duncan, ultimately will be more memorable for its maximalist performance than the clothing itself. But while looks did not do anything wildly different from Chiuri's established aesthetic, they have the potential to endure thanks to a straightforward elegance and strong palette of neutrals.