A Scottish castle was the backdrop for magic and melodrama for the Dior Cruise 2025 Show…
Seventy years after Christian Dior presented his Spring Summer 1955 collection at the Gleneagles Hotel, where a sumptuous ball was held for guests, the house of Dior returned to Scotland once more. This time the setting was Drummond Castle, located in Perthshire near Crieff, the backdrop for Maria Grazia Chiuri’s 2025 Cruise collection. Actresses Jennifer Lawrence, Lily Collins, Anya Taylor-Joy, Minnie Driver, Rosamund Pike and former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell were among the frow guests at the star-studded event. (They stayed at Glengeales Hotel and visited Scone Palace before the show).
Mr Dior’s love of Scotland is documented in his autobiography, Dior on Dior. “I had heard so much about its beauty that I had feared to be disappointed – on the contrary, I was even more struck by the beauty of the country, the castles, and the moors, than I had expected.” In his AW1947 collection, he featured a looked called Ecosse (Scotland).
Maria Grazia Chiuri was not only inspired by Mr Dior’s passion for Scotland but its rich textile heritage. She said in the preview notes to the show, “Scotland is an important reference in the fashion world and I wanted to interpret it in a different way. For my generation it’s so associated with punk but there is another way to go into it, and that’s through the textiles.” She enlisted Harris Tweed, Esk Cashmere, Johnstons of Elgin (found in Kildare Village) and milliner Robert Makri to collaborate on the collection which featured traditional symbols of Scotland – the unicorn and thistle.
Chiuri was also inspired by Clare Hunter’s book Embroidering Her Truth: Mary Queen of Scots and the Language of Power, referenced in her show notes. “In researching the history of Scotland, I was particularly inspired by the figure of Mary, Queen of Scotland. She spent decades embroidering, as a means of comfort and reflection, but also to express herself during her 19 years in prison.” Chuiri commissioned artist Pollyanna Johnson to create a portrait of Mary Stuart.
As for the show, this was a very fashion-forward highland fling. Tartans in vibrant colours (crimson, purple and mustard yellow), plus velvets and lace, delicate embroideries and wool dresses predominated, accessorised with chainmail, leather gloves and studded Dior bags from the Saddle to the Lady Dior.
There were corsets and kilts, paired with jackets, biker boots and coats that borrowed from men’s tailoring. Channelling muse Mary Stuart, models were wild and warrior-like – think minimal make-up and long simple braids.
The real star of the show in my opinion were the impressive gardens, considered one of Europe and Scotland’s more important gardens. They acted as a natural catwalk. Models descended a flight of stone steps to bagpipe music before weaving their way through the intricate parterres, topiary and terraces. The geometric layout was inspired by French Renaissance gardens, particularly those at the Palace of Versailles. The gardens are open to visitors for the summer from June 10; www.drummondcastlegardens.co.uk.
I am sure it will not be long before Chiuri mines Ireland’s rich history for textiles and feminist muses in a future collection. There are plenty of inspiring settings and gardens too. In the meantime, I recommend rewatching this gorgeous Cruise show on dior.com.
