Fashion house Dior dazzled Greek and global audiences during its Cruise 2022 collection unveiling. The fashion show took places at the famed Athens Panathenaic Stadium, known also as the “Kalimarmaro.”
Dozens of models paraded down long runways that replaced athletic tracks as A-list Athenians marveled at the Greek-inspired creations of one of the most iconic fashion houses in the world.
Only 400 people were invited to the fashion show but more than 1 million viewers streamed the event online.
Dior creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri chose Greece for the launch because, according to her interviews with the media, Greece has honored women since antiquity.
As the finale commenced and the models parades on the runway one last time, the Athenian sky was filled with fireworks.
The event was attended by the President of the Republic, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, the PM’s wife Mareva Grabovski-Mitsotaki, the Minister of Culture and Sports Lina Mendoni, the Minister of Tourism Haris Theocharis, Gianna Angelopoulou and French actress Catherine Deneuve. Among the four hundred guests were internationally renowned models and actors as well as Greek fashion designers.
In the coming days, the Dior will shoot a series of photos at the archeological sites including the theater of Herodeion, the Ancient Agora, Nemea, and Sounio. Dior received special permission from archaeological authorities to ensure respect of the sites.
Ms. Chiuri said she was inspired to organize the photo shoots after seeing vintage photos of Dior photography shoots from the 1950s when women in long, luxurious gowns posed alongside the Parthenon temples.
For this collection, Chiuri aimed to create a collection that celebrates what it means to be a woman. To do so, she traveled throughout Greece to research and uncover women’s contributions throughout time, visiting the Bronze Age ruins of the palace of Knossos and the Heraklion Archeological Museum on the island of Crete, the ruins of Akrotiri in Santorini, Delphi and elsewhere, in an effort to note and honor the importance of women throughout history.
Watch the complete fashion show here
