Mixte Magazine

If by any chance you were looking for a new standard of feminine friendship based on mutual admiration, respect, exchange and curiosity, you can now count on the relationship between Maria Grazia Chiuri and Justine Picardie. By collaborating on the design of the 2025 Cruise collection presented during a monumental fashion show in Scotland last June, the artistic director of Dior and her journalist friend have shown us once again that, when it comes to fashion, it’s all about history, transmission and savoir-faire. A chance for the duo to discuss Christian Dior’s attachment to Scotland, since the designer, who particularly admired and cherished the local textile craftsmanship, had organized two fashion shows there back in 1955. A return to these lands was therefore an obvious choice, and in order to be fully up to date on the subject, Maria Grazia called on Justine, an author and biographer specializing in the House of Dior, to help her with her research into the development of the collection. As a result, they both traveled to Scotland together during summer 2023, staying at the Gleneagles Hotel, where Christian Dior held one of his two fashion shows.

They also visited an exhibition on tartan at the Victoria and Albert Museum in Dundee, featuring a number of Dior looks from the archives, and met with manufacturers to learn more about Scottish textiles: the major historical and cultural role of tartan, of course, but also tweed, kilts and knitwear…The pair also paid a visit to the remote Outer Hebrides, the spectacular northern islands off the Scottish coast, where Harris tweed is woven by the islanders in their own homes from the wool of their own sheep. The trip was also an opportunity to recount the long history between Scotland and France, dating back to Mary I of Scotland, known as Mary Stuart, and her French mother, both famous for expressing themselves through embroidery. In short, Maria Grazia Chiuri and Justine Picardie did the job, and talk about it with passion in this exclusive interview, where they also talk about their relationship to nature and the place of women in the fashion industry.

Mixte. You have been working together for many years and are now good friends. How did you two meet?
Justine Picardie. We first met twelve years ago, when I was working as a journalist and editor for the British version of Harper’s Bazaar magazine.
Maria Grazia Chiuri. Back then I was working for Valentino. We had a mutual admiration for each other’s work and opinion, and became fast friends.

M. What do you appreciate most about each other?
M. G. C. I just love the way Justine tells a story, how she shares her genuine curiosity and historical research in an uplifting and entertaining way. You really are an outstanding storyteller.
J.  P.  For me, in addition to your passion for history, art, culture, feminism and politics, I really appreciate the sincere and constant support you give your collaborators. You always welcome them with enthusiasm, providing them with a platform with exceptional generosity of spirit.

M.  When was your very first collaboration?
M. G. C. Justine was doing research for her book on Catherine Dior (Miss Dior: A Wartime story of Courage and Couture, Faber & Faber, 2022). Around the same time, I was beginning to delve into the House’s archives.
J. P. I remember sharing with you my findings about the extraordinary life of Catherine, heroine of the French Resistance during WW2. I spoke to you about my thoughts and the results of my research, and these conversations resonated with both of us.

M.  Maria Grazia, what particularly struck you about Justine’s research?
M. G. C. I found her approach to the story of Monsieur Dior interesting, as she had put together the pieces of the puzzle through the life of the couturier’s sister and the special connection between them. Personally, I was more interested in the objects, the fabrics, the more tangible archives, but combining the two allowed me to see this heritage in a different way.

M. And you, Justine?
J. P. I’d say our stays at La Colle Noire – Christian’s Provençal home, where Catherine also lived temporarily – and at Catherine’s former home in Provence. These places were an important source of inspiration for your spring-summer 2020 ready-to-wear collection.
M. G. C. Yes, I really wanted this collection to restore Catherine Dior to her key role in the history of the House.
J. P. I must say, I was very moved by the way you linked all these elements to create a visionary, contemporary show.

M. Why did you decide to collaborate again on the 2025 Cruise collection?
M. G. C. For me, cruise collections are actual research projects. That’s why I think it’s essential to call on specialists and collaborators who can shed critical light on the city or place in question. Justine shared with me her knowledge and, of course, her special attachment to Scotland and its culture. But we were also able to exchange ideas on these subjects because she knows a lot about the history of fashion, in particular Christian Dior’s career in the UK, and more specifically in Scotland.
J.  P. Indeed, I remember telling you about Scotland as soon as you arrived at Dior, and I mentioned the possibility of the House returning to present a collection there, in keeping with the expedition undertaken there by Christian Dior.
M. G. C. Personally, I’ve always dreamed of doing a show in Scotland. I find its landscapes extremely artistic. It’s a place I’ve come to know through film, literature and legendary characters and plots. I wanted to get closer to this imagery, to see it come to life in some way.

M. Justine, you’ve lived in Scotland in the past. What was your reaction when you heard that Maria Grazia was organizing the 2025 Cruise collection fashion show there?
J.  P. I was thrilled! My husband’s family is of Scottish origin, and when I lived there, I fell in love with the landscapes, and the textiles that are such an integral part of the region’s cultural heritage.

M.  Scotland is famous for its wilderness. At the same time, Christian Dior was known for his love of gardening. Why was it important to create these bridges for this collection?
M. G. C. In the course of my research, I learnt how closely Scottish fabrics are tied to nature: they mirror the hues and materials found there, for the wildness as much as for the striking beauty of its color palette. This led me to draw a parallel with the story of Monsieur Dior, who would retreat to the countryside when sketching his collections. Ultimately, flowers and vegetation are a kind of common thread running through the different eras of the House’s history. It’s an idea I enjoyed exploring further when I chose the gardens of Drummond Castle as the venue for the fashion show.
J. P. It’s true that this is the perfect tribute to Christian Dior’s love of these green havens, and to the approach he shared with his sister Catherine – inherited from their mother – of imagining a garden that reveals parts of their own nature. The link between nature and the creation of a garden is a central theme of the collection. For example, the Harris tweeds are woven in the heart of one of Scotland’s wildest landscapes – the Hebrides – and their colors are those of the leather and gorse that naturally grow there.

M. Speaking of, the theme of our issue is “State of nature”. What does that mean to you?
M. G. C. I see it as a contemporary take on nature. Indeed, nature as Christian Dior saw it is quite different from our own. Not necessarily on the surface, but in the kind of relationship we have to it. Of course, floral arrangements still generate emotion today, but we can’t ignore the growing awareness of environmental issues. It’s essential to get involved and take account of this “state of nature” that’s being undermined.
J.  P.  I’m also seeing the effects of climate change through extreme weather phenomena such as floods, storms and droughts. That said, I try not to lose hope. I’m passionate about gardening and I feel that by gardening, I’m tending the landscape for future generations – planting trees that won’t reach their full height until long after I’m dead. Being in the garden, with my hands in the soil, makes me feel grounded in the best possible way. I’ve also started growing my own vegetables and herbs. When I cook with them, I feel a kind of serenity, satisfaction and gratitude. For me, continuing to garden is a sign of faith in the future.

M. And you, Maria Grazia, which actions or moments have recently allowed you to (re)connect to nature?
M. G. C. Getting familiar with the Scottish landscape was an exceptional experience for me. I have great memories of walks in the Outer Hebrides: the light and the panoramic views of the moors were simply incredible. It was an almost mystical experience that moved me deeply. On a more personal level, because of my origins in southern Italy, in Puglia, there’s nothing more soothing and invigorating for me than swimming or sailing in the Mediterranean Sea.

M.  These days, many brands are returning to their state of nature, to their DNA. How would you define Dior’s identity in 2024?
J. P. It’s very faithful to Christian Dior’s own vision, in the wake of the traumas of the Second World War. Monsieur Dior’s genius was to create a sense of hope, of magic, in the midst of a dark period – and it seems to me that the House is perpetuating this mission.
M. G. C. I’m in favor of a certain kind of consistency, but my convictions and my commitment to giving power back to women have led me to turn the “flowerwomen” of Christian Dior’s era into horticulturists, so to speak. In other words, subjects with agency, rather than aesthetic objects.

M.  Since your first day at Dior, you’ve carried a feminist message. Do you think fashion still has the power to change people’s mindset?
M. G. C. Fashion is a social phenomenon intrinsically tied to our way of thinking, so yes, I’m sure it does! Wearing a certain style of dress, a certain color, a certain t-shirt will always be a conversation starter.

M. You both are women with successful careers in fashion. What are the perks of being a woman in your experience?
M. G. C. Our ability to identify with other women, perhaps. When I was little, I used to watch my mother run her sewing business, it was the moment I became aware not only of their needs and aspirations, but also of the role of clothes and fashion in general . I’m also an author, and I think you can also have a female gaze. This is reflected in Justine’s words about Catherine Dior.
J. P. As a woman, mother and grandmother, I feel I have a natural clairvoyance. I try to support the people I work with by drawing on a similar outlook gained from my various roles as sister, daughter, friend… The other advantage, let’s be honest, is that as a woman we’re able to manage several tasks at once.

M. Last year, a number of designers either left their positions or were dismissed. Strangely enough, all of them were replaced by young cisgender men. Is the fashion industry still sexist?
J. P. Personally, I’m shocked that so few women currently hold positions of creative or executive responsibility in this industry. There were more women designers and creators in the 1920s than today: Coco Chanel, Jeanne Lanvin, Madame Grès, Jeanne Paquin, Louise Boulanger, Madeleine Vionnet, Elsa Schiaparelli, to name but a few. It would seem that, in the fight against sexism, we’ve turned back the clock – at least on this particular issue.
M. G. C. I’m still referred to as Dior’s first female artistic director. I’m very honored and happy about that, but I find it a little surprising to be defined by my gender and not by my experience or the legitimacy I’ve acquired through my past achievements. At the same time, I believe that this opportunity I’ve been given is a way of showing that the industry is capable of choices like this. I really hope to see it happen more often!

Photo credits © Laura Sciacovelli ; Pierre Mouton ; Trisha Ward ; Ruby Pluhar ; Adrien Dirand / Drummond Castle ; Kristin McEwan.

This article was originally published in our Fall-Winter 2024 issue STATE OF NATURE (out Septembre 16th).