Mood board: Why have there been no great women artists? This was the striking question posed by the art historian Linda Nochlin that welcomed us to the Dior show. As one French journalist duly noted, Camille Claudel, Louise Bourgeois, Frida Khalo and Georgia O’Keefe might have disagreed – but it certainly explained the show’s mood and inspiration. This season, Maria Grazia Chiuri was inspired by French-American sculptor Niki de St Phalle and her fellow female artists from the sixties. In a concrete setting of organic shapes and mirror mosaic decorations, the Italian designer presented her woman – part Niki, part Edie Sedgwick.
Best in show: Chiuri seems intent on making her ‘we all should be feminists’ message evolve, this time by opening the show with a striped t-shirt bearing Nochlin’s provocative statement. While the question about whether feminism can be reduced to a slogan still remains, the piece is sure to be a commercial success. As will the patchwork jeans, sequined mini and maxi dresses – a nod to the lesser-known Marc Bohan period at Dior – and especially the accessories. Chiuri’s flair for irresistible shoes really came through in this shows. Flat, lace-up, knee-high boots and Mary Janes (lovely in their patent leather version, even lovelier in mirrored mosaic) are sure to appeal to Millenial customers, which, since Chiuri’s appointment as art director, seem to be the core clientele of the French house.
Team work: Michel Gaubert’s soundtracks have for a long time been key to the success of Dior’s shows, and this time was no exception. Gaubert dug up as fine – and kitsch – a selection of 60s instrumental pieces as there ever was. Particularly inspired was his use of the score in William Klein’s 1966 cult film Qui êtes-vous, Polly Maggoo? (Who Are You, Polly Maggoo?). The ecclesiastic-inspired music worked as well with Anna Wintour gazing at Chiuri’s golden mosaic-dresses as it did with the maximalist fashion editrixes admiring the metal dresses in the movie. Only Gaubert could show that kind of humour.
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Nela is London's new stage for open-fire gastronomyA beloved Amsterdam import brings live-fire elegance to The Whiteley’s grand revival
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How we host: with Our Place founder, Shiza ShahidWelcome, come on in, and take a seat at Wallpaper*s new series 'How we host' where we dissect the art of entertaining. Here, we speak to Our Place founder Shiza Shahid on what makes the perfect dinner party, from sourcing food in to perfecting the guest list, and yes, Michelle Obama is invited
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Matteo Thun carves a masterful thermal retreat into the Canadian RockiesBasin Glacial Waters, a project two decades in the making, finally surfaces at Lake Louise, blurring the boundaries between architecture and terrain
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Haute Couture Week A/W 2025: what to expectFive moments to look out for at Haute Couture Week A/W 2025 in Paris (starting Monday 7 July), from Glenn Martens’ debut for Maison Margiela to Demna’s Balenciaga swansong. Plus, ‘new beginnings’ from JW Anderson
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Donna Trope celebrates the power of the Polaroid in Paris‘Polaroids used to be my rejects, and now they are my holy grail,’ says the beauty photographer, as she shows rarely seen images in a Paris exhibition
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Summer games, from pétanque to pool floats, get a fashionable spinFrom a luxurious pétanque set to pool floats and playing cards, summer games and toys from the world’s best-known fashion houses
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‘Modern beauty’: Pieter Mulier on his new vision for AlaïaAs creative director of Alaïa, Belgian designer Pieter Mulier honours the timeless vision of the maison’s founder while rewriting the past anew. Here, speaking to Jack Moss, he tells the story behind his first year at the house
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Palace unites with Rapha to celebrate inaugural Tour de France FemmesMarking the first time women will compete in the historic cycling race since the late 1980s, this new collaboration sees Palace Skateboards and Rapha create uniforms for both on and off the bike – including an ‘outlandish’ pair of Crocs
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NYC fashion exhibitions to see right nowNew York City fashion exhibitions to add to your cultural calendar, as style stages a stunning takeover at The Met and more
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Mariella Bettineschi’s feminist artworks survey guests at Dior A/W 2022 showAs guests gathered at Dior’s A/W 2022 womenswear show venue in Paris, sets of duplicated eyes stared down at them from the artworks of Mariella Bettineschi
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Paris Fashion Week A/W 2022: Chanel to Miu MiuIn this extended report, Wallpaper* updates you live from Paris Fashion Week A/W 2022 shows, with rolling coverage as runway events unfold
