Christian Dior Will Stage Its Cruise 2021 Show In Italy Without An Audience
The French fashion house is the first major luxury brand to host a virtual runway presentation since the coronavirus outbreak
Photo: Getty
Dior PFW FW20
Christian Dior is taking steps to bring some sense of normalcy back to the fashion calendar. The French brand has announced that it will present its Cruise 2021 collection in Puglia, Italy, on July 22.
The original date of the show was May 27, but coronavirus concerns and mandates by the government to quarantine so as to flatten the curve postponed all public-facing events. Though positive cases have subsided in both France and Italy, with many businesses cautiously reopening, the label is not taking chances with health risks. Dior’s Cruise show is set to be audience-free and will be broadcast live from the Piazza del Duomo in Lecce, marking the first time a major brand will present a virtual show for a seasonal collection to members of the press and retailers.
Photo: Getty
Piazza Duomo
Indeed, other labels—including Michael Kors, Marc Jacobs, and Saint Laurent—are shaking up the fashion system by forgoing presentations for the fall 2021 season. Moreover, Gucci has decided to host only two shows a year, Chanel presented its cruise collection via look book, and Burberry announced its own virtual show—but for Fashion Week in September. For Dior, however, getting back to some semblance of business as usual was essential for the financial stability of its employees.
“We would like with this to send a message together of support, of hope, of optimism and finally for some people of rebirth—and the word is not too big—after this period of difficulty,” said Pietro Beccari, president and CEO of Christian Dior Couture, per WWD. “Many of them didn’t know and still do not know how to survive. We wanted to give them a reason to have hope, a reason to restart.”
“Fashion Week is important not only for the fashion family, it’s also important for the cities where the fashion shows [take place],” added the brand’s creative director, Maria Grazia Chiuri.
This article originally appeared on Harper's BAZAAR US.
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