The brains behind Dior, as well as a feminist powerhouse – what’s not to love about Maria Grazia Chiuri?
In between the tulle gowns and lace cocktail dresses sashaying the Dior Spring 2017 runway, came something which set the fashion – and feminist – world ablaze: Dior’s now infamous ‘We Should All Be Feminists’ t-shirt.
Fast forward a year, and the woman behind the design, Maria Grazia Chiuri, is a household name – for not only her breathtaking designs, but also her strong feminist stance.
After 16 years at the helm of Valentino, Chiuri took her place as Dior’s first female creative director since the fashion house’s inception 69 years ago.
In her first year at the label she has worked on moving the style towards the needs and wants of the modern woman. Speaking to Vogue in November 2017 she said:”I don’t think that I’m an activist. Dior is about femininity. When I arrived here, everybody told me that. Okay, I said, we have to speak about femininity, but what does that mean today? I try to speak about women now, and for the future. Dior has to be about female empowerment.”
It was for this reason Chiuri was presented with the Swarovski Award for Positive Change at the British Fashion Awards in 2017, with Nadja Swarovski saying of the decision: “As Christian Dior’s first female creative director, Maria Grazia has combined her own longstanding commitment to female empowerment with true creative magic, to bring today’s most vital conversations to fashion’s front row.”
Which all give credence for us to sit up and pay attention when Chiuri shared with Vogue the reading list that has inspired both her work at Dior and her feminist views in general. As a woman helping bridge the gap between feminism and fashion, her advice should certainly not be overlooked. AKA – add these books to the top of your reading list ASAP!
