Dior Makes Landmark Runway Show in Mumbai, Combining Indian Artistry and Fashion
Dior showcased its Pre-Fall 2023 collection in Mumbai on Thursday, becoming the first major European label to include India on its seasonal showcase schedule. The location was a clear tribute to the country’s contribution to high-fashion manufacturing, as well as the growing power of its luxury consumers.
Set against the iconic Gateway of India monument, the show drew a star-studded crowd, including Bollywood actresses Rekha, Sonam Kapoor, and Anushka Sharma, as well as models Cara Delevingne and Maisie Williams. The runway, adorned with marigold and diya lamps, featured Madras check and Benarasi brocade fabrics, mirror work, tie-dye detailing, Nehru collars, and kurta tailoring.
While a few Western labels, including Yves Saint Laurent, Pierre Cardin, and Valentino, have hosted one-off shows in India, Dior is the first to incorporate the country into its regular seasonal schedule. Luxury labels usually present their Spring-Summer and Fall-Winter collections at one of the “big four” fashion weeks across New York, London, Milan, and Paris. They also often look further afield to showcase their Pre-Fall and Cruise lines, especially as Indian shoppers have become a significant force in the fashion industry.
According to Anul Sareen, senior research analyst at Euromonitor, income levels in India have jumped over 24% between 2019 and 2022. As such, luxury retailers are banking on the Indian market to fuel their growth, as Western markets and China face stagnation.
Dior’s connection to Indian artisans
Dior entered the Indian market in 2006 when it opened a store in New Delhi. While it has only added one shop in the country since, the brand’s ties with India go beyond commerce, with Dior often turning to Indian artisans for their exceptional craft skills. Chanakya International, a Mumbai atelier that Dior has worked closely with for almost three decades, produced many of the embroideries and textiles on the runway. On Wednesday, the atelier held a retrospective in Mumbai featuring 50 hand-embroidered pieces it has produced for the label since creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri took over in 2016.
Dior has also collaborated with Chanakaya School of Craft, a non-profit institute run by Chanakaya International and staffed by communities of female textile workers, for various runway backdrops. These include a collection of 22 mammoth tapestries created with Indian artists Madhvi and Manu Parekh, which Dior commissioned for its Haute Couture Spring-Summer 2022 show.
The majority of these fabrics, sourced from India and created by Indian artisans, are then assembled in Europe, which often leaves them unrecognized for their significant role in luxury fashion’s supply chain.
According to leading stylist and former Vogue India fashion director Anaita Shroff Adajania, the Indian-based ateliers that work closely with luxury houses feel unable to claim credit for their contributions. She stated that “I have many friends who run embroidery houses that work closely with luxury houses, but the brands ensure that they don’t talk about it. Industry insiders have always known about India’s contribution but not the consumers.”
For Karishma Swali, artistic director of Chanakya International and Chanakaya School of Craft, the fact that her atelier’s creations walked on an Indian runway represents a milestone event. “For years, we’ve brought parts of Mumbai to Paris,” she said. “The fact that Paris is coming to Mumbai means the world to all of us.”
A celebration of Indian culture and creativity
Dior’s choice of Mumbai as the venue for its Pre-Fall 2023 collection was a celebration of the country’s artisanal culture, with exceptional craftsmanship and technique reflected in the clothes on the runway. The event was a long-overdue acknowledgment for Indian ateliers, with leading stylist Anaita Shroff Adajania describing the show as “a thank you to India.”
Pre-Fall collections afford designers the opportunity to experiment with a more significant range of colors, textures and silhouettes, combining Indian motifs with Western fashion styles. Maria Grazia Chiuri stated that “It is very important to celebrate the creativity of the artisans and the culture of India, while giving them a contemporary flavor. This collection is a result of all the efforts we have put into bringing this language to life.”
Mayank Kaul, a celebrated textile designer and curator, called the event “an historic moment.” He stated that “This kind of acknowledgment that the Indian makers behind an international fashion house’s products are being given has not been seen, in my view, before.”
Dior’s Mumbai show is set to become a landmark moment for the country and marks a vital milestone in the collaboration between Indian artisans and the global luxury fashion industry.
