Cara Delevingne And Anya Taylor Joy Lead The Crowd At Dior’s Show In Athens

As an antidote to the confinement we've all faced over the past year, Maria Grazia Chiuriwanted to focus on the freedom of movement for her latest Cruise collection at Christian Dior. Not only did this mean that she created clothes rooted in athleisure, she also staged the show at the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens, a sporting ground built by the Ancient Greeks in 330 BC.

While ongoing travel restrictions meant that mostly local guests were in attendance, several of the house's favourites were actually there, IRL, including Cara Delevingne, Anya Taylor Joy and Suki Waterhouse.

After a season of digital offerings and fashion films in lieu of big shows, Dior's Cruise spectacular really was just that. In this ancient setting, Chiuri presented a thoroughly modern interpretation of Dior's signatures, apparently inspired by a series of photographs featuring a model wearing Christian Dior near the Parthenon in 1951.

One of the most striking examples of Chiuri's contemporary approach is the new Bar Jacket, which was reimagined in technical fabrics, lending it the sporty edge. As with all of her Cruise collections for Dior, Chiuri looked to local artists and craftsmen to contribute. As well as fisherman's caps created by Atelier Tsalavoutas, who supplies the real fishermen of Hydra, there were hand-drawn female figures from Greek mythology, hidden in the folds of dresses.

Chiuri also called on Aristeidis Tzonevraki, a local tailor who created the most incredible embroidery on a Bar Jacket and Book Tote, reimagining these Dior classics for a new season. His intricate work was captured on film for the short video above, displaying just how meticulous these creations are.

Among the leggings (yes, really), draped gowns and structured tailoring, there was an unlikely design which inspired hundreds of memes on social media. The big finale was a tulle gown complete with swan head which encircled the model's neck, similar to the infamous dress worn by Björk to the Oscars in 2001.

After a year of solitude, what better place for Dior to take us all to than back to the beginning of civilisation?