Dior to stage audience free cruise show

Dior will be staging its cruise collection show on July 22, but sans audience. The show was originally scheduled to take place on May 9 in Puglia, but was put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic. The collection will still debut in Puglia - at the Piazza del Duomo in Lecce - but without its usual spectator audience of editors, influencers, buyers, stylists, and celebrities. Instead, only “friends and family” be able to attend the event.

In an online video press conference, Pietro Beccari, CEO of Christian Dior Couture, and Maria Grazia Chiuri, Dior's creative director of women's ready-to-wear, haute couture, and accessories, confirmed that they would still be showing in Puglia with Chiuri saying, "This project is very close to my heart because my father was born in Puglia."

‘Nothing carries emotion more than a real fashion show’

Dior also suggested it would not follow in the footsteps of other luxury labels such as Gucci and Saint Laurent which have opted out of Paris fashion week to follow their “own creative rhythm”.

“Nothing carries emotion more than a real fashion show. A live performance is like nothing else, the electricity that we feel in that creative moment, the deadline, the adrenaline,” said Beccari.“That is why we wanted to do a live fashion show and why we believe there will always be a place for a live show.”

Chanel recently opted for a virtual format for their cruise collection show, which still took place in capri, but was all done via video and online. Currently, Dior plans that it will still show during Paris Fashion Week in September. Burberry also recently announced that it will be staging an outdoor show for London Fashion Week in September.

The global fashion calendar has been thrown in flux due to coronavirus. The men's spring/summer 2021 shows and Paris Couture Week have all been cancelled. The spring/summer 2021 women's ready-to-wear shows are still expected to take place this September beginning with New York on September 11.

Photo: via Dior.com