Dior celebrates feminist Hollywood legend Marlene Dietrich in a pivotal year for American politics

Designer Maria Grazia Chiuri’s feminist project has been evident from the very beginning at Dior. And for fall, she has been inspired by film legend Marlene Dietrich and the relationship between Paris and New York. The result is a collection that unites the two cities and fuses Dior’s silhouette with the Dietrich’s phantasmagorical presence and boyish allure.

Though Dietrich herself often dismissed fashion as “a bore” there is no doubt that she remains a style icon who managed to construct a strong and powerful visual brand – The Dietrich look.

According to the Dietrich hype she was one of the first women who wore trousers in public – according to the French police at the time – “at her own risk”. If she was indeed the first is hard to tell but the diva certainly knew how to cultivate a strong style, both tiltilating an subversive combining the feminine – ruffles, lace and strong makeup – with lean masculine silhuettes and accessories:  trousers, tuxedos and hats. The result gave a veil of mystique, though her bisexuality and libertine lifestyle was no secret as she spoke of it often. In a world post #metoo she emerges as a pioneer as well, challenging the stereotypical and often restrictive image given to “the female actress”.

Maria Grazia Chiuri’s collection, unveiled on April 15 in New York was also a homage to the long lasting friendship between New York and Paris – symbolized by The Statue of Liberty which was given as a gift from the French to the United States at the end of the 19th century and has since become the symbol of N.Y. The homage is made extra visible in two key prints: the Statue of Liberty and the Eiffel Tower, flourishing in large format on numerous models outfits.

The bridge between both cultures is Marlene Dietrich, a charismatic, contrarian actress, attached to Dior, in life and on screen. Choosing Dietrich and New York as inspiration for fall 2024 feels like a well suited commentary in a time when women’s rights have seen a backlash with abortion laws under constant debate and a year when the whole world awaits the American presidential election.