If there's one word that's overused in fashion it's "chic". The word, however, genuinely sums up that modern attitude of a Dior show and the Dior woman right now. No longer just the epitome of French elegance and femininity, under artistic director Raf Simons that spirit has been reworked into one that still references the past without being literal. Yes, that bar jacket shape and wasp waist are still here (although, thankfully, this season there is no sign of a strapless bodice), but when you juxtapose these classic Dior codes on models with laissez-faire hair walking at whip-crack speed, a mirrored tent and a thumping Parisian nightclub soundtrack from DJ Michel Gaubert, the results are to put it simply, nothing short of chic.
It's the perfect formula for Simons at Dior, but then a "modern" touch to everything has always been at the heart of his design DNA, from his tenure at Jil Sander to his eponymous menswear line.
But what is modern? That's the question on the designer's mind when breaking down the past with the present. Continuing to democratise the traditions of haute couture, Simons embraces a sprawling cross section of influences that began last couture season in July where 18th century French royal court attire amalgamated with Edwardian long-line coats, embellished astronaut boiler suits and delicate 20s flapper dresses. Despite the historicism of that and what was presented for spring 2015, the overriding memo is that rules are made to be broken.
"By beginning with the ingredients and the form language of the couture, I want the ready-to-wear to feel more modern, more dynamic, more real," Simons explains. "I want it to be made available to a wider audience."
