Dior presented its collection at the Antiguo Colegio de San Ildefonso, a colonial building located next to the Templo Mayor, a remnant of the Aztec empire, located in the heart of Mexico City.
Dior designer Maria Grazia Chiuri featured women's clothing on the catwalk adorned with embroidery and fabrics inspired by Mexican communities.
To the tunes of "Te mereces un amor" by Mexican singer and songwriter Vivir Quintana, embroideries with traditional floral motifs and bright colors, but also in sober tones of black and white, punctuated different moments of the show.
Presentation of the Dior collection at the Antiguo Colegio in San Ildefons, May 20, 2023 in Mexico © Rodrigo Oropeza /
Dresses were presented in the traditional Mexican pink color, reminiscent of the clothes worn by the indigenous communities of Oaxaca and Chiapas, in the south of the country, and Puebla (center).
"It's a country I love deeply and a culture that never ceases to inspire me. I was happy to go back over the years for different projects and to meet different artists, "said the designer on Twitter when the show was announced on May 9.
The show ended with several white dresses with red details to the sound of "Canción sin miedo", another title by Vivir Quintana that denounces violence against women in Mexico.
Presentation of the Dior collection at the Antiguo Colegio in San Ildefons, May 20, 2023 in Mexico © Rodrigo Oropeza /
Several models wore braided hairstyles similar to those of the Mexican painter Frida Kahlo (1907-1954).
The place where the collection was presented is a museum managed by the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), the Mexican government and the city hall of the capital.
The fashion house worked on the clothes with Mexican artisans.
Several fashion brands have in the past been accused of cultural appropriation by the Mexican government and indigenous communities themselves.
In 2021, Mexico denounced the Chinese company Shein, the Spanish company Inditex and the American societies Anthropologie and Patowl for using Mexican motifs on their clothes.
Denouncing cultural hijacking, the country also complained in 2020 about French designer Isabel Marant, who later apologized to the government and a community in Michoacán (west).
Maria Grazia Chiuri greets the audience after the presentation of the Dior collection at the Antiguo Colegio de San Ildefons, on May 20, 2023 in Mexico © Rodrigo Oropeza /
In 2019, the Ministry of Culture also criticized the firm of Carolina Herrera, a Venezuelan designer based in the United States, for reproducing colorful embroideries from the community of Tenango (center).
© 2023 AFP