On a rainy day in Rome, Dior unveiled its Cruise 2026 collection at the Villa Albani Torlonia, a jewel of 18th-century grandeur usually closed to the public, opened for Maria Grazia Chiuri’s latest spectacle.
For Chiuri, a native Roman, this wasn’t just a homecoming, but an ode to the Eternal City and its enduring influence on arts, culture and, of course, fashion. Inspired by “bella confusione”—translated to ‘beautiful confusion’—once floated as a title for Fellini’s 8½, the collection unravelled like a surrealist dream, where historical silhouettes and cinematic references danced in stirking chiaroscuro.
At its heart was Mimì Pecci Blunt, the 20th-century arts patron famed for her legendary masked balls. In homage, Chiuri conjured her own Bal de l’Imagination, transforming the villa’s expansive gardens into a monochrome mirage of clothes that dialed up the theatrical opulence.
There were velvet gowns edged in lace, ecclesiastical silhouettes reimagined as eveningwear, and cropped tailored jackets and suits sets that called to mind vintage heroines. Trompe l’oeil beading made a muse of the body, as dresses effortlessly draped around waists and along decolletages with the fluidity of choreographed dance. At the same time, archival handwork met high drama, with help from iconic Roman costume house Tirelli.
And then, as the models made their final procession and Chiuri emerged for a humble bow, the clouds parted. With rumours swirling of her departure and Jonathan Anderson waiting in the wings, it’s a wonder if this glorious love letter to her hometown served as a farewell ball of sorts. Whether the gossip stands to be true or not, it’s clear that the Eternal City will always hold a special place in the history of Dior.
This story originally appeared on GRAZIA International.
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