Scene setting: Guests arrived at the Hippodrome de Longchamp – a secluded area in the midst of the Bois de Boulogne – to find an organic wooden structure bearing only the letters Dior on it. Inside, bathed in dim lights, were 170 geometrically placed trees. A true garden - like the ones Christian Dior cherished - that aimed to go beyond the mere ‘effet surprise' of an impressive luxury group brand show setting. This season, Dior partnered with Coloco, a landscaping atelier specialising in sustainable, urban gardens. The trees were of different species, a metaphor for inclusivity, and, after the show, will be planted in different areas of Paris. Just as the rest of the raw materials used in the show’s structure, which will all be repurposed. In an era when many question the ecological soundness of fashion week, this is a sound start.
Moodboard: The garden – just as the collection – was an homage to Christian Dior’s sister Catherine Dior. An extraordinary woman who joined the resistance in 1941, using her brother’s rue Royale apartment to hold meetings before being deported by the Gestapo three years later, and surviving Ravensbrück. As interested as Christian in flowers and gardens, she was better known for being the ‘Miss' in Miss Dior, the designer’s first ever perfume, which he dedicated to her. Maria Grazia Chiuri reviving that lesser part of the Dior legacy felt very much in line with her recent reflections on feminism.
Best in show: Then there was the collection, inspired by the meaning of flowers and gardens today. Shades of beige and cream dominated the palette, almost as backgrounds for botanical explorations in the form of embroideries and prints. Dior staples including the Bar jacket were transformed into garden-friendly pieces which, combined with sloughy trousers, looked more comfortable than ever. But the guaranteed best sellers were the flou dresses, ranging from a beach-friendly multicolour ombré number to a series of couture-like embroidered tulle pieces with twisted straps – exactly the kind Christian Dior fans around the globe dream about.
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What the Wallpaper* editors are looking forward to at Men’s Fashion Week S/S 2026As Men’s Fashion Week S/S 2026 begins in Florence today, the Wallpaper* style team select the moments they will be looking out for – from Jonathan Anderson’s anticipated Dior debut to outings from Wales Bonner, Kiko Kostadinov and Prada
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The gayest love story ever told: Jeremy Atherton Lin's memoir is a tribute to homeIn 'Deep House: The Gayest Love Story Ever Told', Jeremy Atherton Lin mixes memoir with a historical deep-dive into marriage equlaity
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This monumental Valentino book is a true Italian fashion epicSpanning oral testimony, sketches and magazine spreads, ‘Valentino: A Grand Italian Epic’ (published by Taschen) charts the career of Valentino Garavani, whose mononymous Roman house would define a vision of Italian glamour
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What the Wallpaper* editors are looking forward to at Men’s Fashion Week S/S 2026
As Men’s Fashion Week S/S 2026 begins in Florence today, the Wallpaper* style team select the moments they will be looking out for – from Jonathan Anderson’s anticipated Dior debut to outings from Wales Bonner, Kiko Kostadinov and Prada
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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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Horace’s new men’s scent is the linen shirt of the fragrance closetVetiver Primavera, the new fragrance from men’s grooming brand Horace, is casual but elegant, says Wallpaper’s Mary Cleary – a citrussy scent for summer
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Carine Roitfeld on the magic of DiorThe legendary fashion editor has teamed up with photographer Brigitte Niedermair on a special look into the famed French house's archives as part of the UBS House of Craft x Dior in New York
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What can we expect from Jonathan Anderson’s Dior?As Jonathan Anderson is confirmed as creative director of Dior’s men’s and women’s lines – an unprecedented, history-making appointment – Wallpaper* looks forward to what we can expect from the boundary-pushing Northern Irish designer
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‘Don’t forget to get the bread!’ Serge Lutens writes an ode to a singular perfumePublished exclusively by Wallpaper*, Serge Lutens writes an ode to Jeux de Peau, a singular perfume of his creation inspired by a childhood memory of baking bread
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Maria Grazia Chiuri to exit Dior: ‘I‘m immensely proud of this chapter’Following her Cruise 2026 show in Rome earlier this week, Maria Grazia Chiuri has announced that she will be stepping away from her role as creative director of Dior’s womenswear and couture lines
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French skincare brand PERS doesn’t believe in overcomplicated routinesFrench skincare brand PERS – an acronym for ‘protect, enhance, repair, and stimulate’ – has recently arrived in the UK. The mastermind behind it, Dr Antoni Calmon, tells Wallpaper* about his protocol
