Christian Dior Cruise 2006

[kimair]

from wwd:

When Christian Dior goes on a cruise, who's invited?

Practically everyone.

Exemplifying the growing importance of cruise and pre-spring collections, the French house is using the season to unveil a major expansion of its product offerings, designed to broaden its customer base as it continues to build ever-larger stores and pushes into new markets like South America.

In an exclusive interview with WWD, Dior designer John Galliano and chief executive officer Sidney Toledano explained how they're "upping the ante," as Galliano put it, with an arsenal of products to reach more age groups, dressing occasions and fashion tastes.

"We're at that stage now where we're opening much more, which is a great challenge as a designer. We'd like to embrace a much larger audience," an upbeat Galliano said.

Dior's footwear category, which Toledano said has grown tenfold in only three years to "several hundred thousand" pairs a year, also is emblematic of the diversification drive. The cruise and pre-spring offerings span "vintage trainers to killer heels," said Galliano, surveying a roomful of his designs. The designer even found a way to incorporate some of the exclusive prints he develops for rtw into dressy heels and sporty flats. He said it was a request that came directly from Dior's store network, and he was happy to oblige.

Come late October, stores will begin receiving a full blast of Galliano's creative prowess. While couture remains his pinnacle expression for the house, the designer said he approaches his pre-collection no differently.

In fact, Galliano's famous "inspiration" trips to far-flung locales are not the preserve of couture. Influences from his swing last March through Argentina and Peru turn up in the cruise collection in smocking details, striped gaucho pants and loose chiffon tunics inspired by local carpet designs.

"We covered a lot of ground. We would take a plane almost every day," Galliano said, recalling a stop at one village where he encountered "children covered in pink dust" and a woman who proudly showed off her cactus collection. "How can you not be inspired by such things?" he asked. "It's so rich, and it's all here for the house to be energized and be inspired by."

Galliano channeled those ideas into many new areas, vastly expanding Dior's offering of tops, which represent an important access price point for a luxury brand. The designer said his litmus test for versatile separates was "having models come in and wear things with their own jeans."

Galliano said he added more cocktail and evening components to each of his four fashion themes, citing a growing demand for occasion clothes, "which is very positive, don't you think?"

Galliano's high-energy variety show extends to all accessories categories, too, including costume earrings tinkling with a tiny teapot and teacups ("a little touch of Sofia Coppola," the designer noted); a new "Christal" watch model inspired partly by rocker Patti Smith — "Only me and David Bowie have one so far," he quipped — and dramatic, "Alien"-esque sunglasses with concave lenses.

"In the old days, cruise used to be basic," Toledano said. "What's new today is that they have all the creativity and inspiration."

Galliano stressed that Dior collections will always include "that finale dress" for fearless customers like socialite Dodie Rosenkrans, but there also must be something understandable for someone "who really wants the logo."

Chiffon dress and flower-print cashmere cardigan with lace trim

Embroidered silk suit

Wool suit and cotton voile shirt with ribbon embroidery

 

[jssy4eva]

I like the pants of the wool suit, and the shoes look decent

 

[Kalista]

I'm kinda liking the embroided silk suit in the second pic....

 

[Mr-Dale]

I'm kinda liking all three looks, actually. No logos thusfar.
I liked reading the article too. But then John killed it by saying

but there also must be something understandable for someone "who really wants the logo."

Pitty, that he adresses the logo on clothes. But, what ever... Reading the article, I was already seeing the Rio Carnavale and South American Inca tribes parading down the Dior runway on coming July 6th... but that's just me

 

[pradaromance]

it looks good, i cant judge the collection though by three looks...

ps-thanks kimair for all of the resort coverage

 

[snowqueen]

Like those 3 looks but cant base a whole round opinion on them

 

[Ghost]

btw what is the meaning of cruise collection?

 

[shokay]

i like the white suit the best.

 

[dior4ever]

Not my favourite of what galliano has done,but its pretty good for a cruise collection the bags remind me a bit of the gucci ones..what i loved the most were the dresses and the color palette.and just if anyone is interested the pictures are taken outside the studio :flowers:

 

[meowmix]

the first bag is , but i do like that last blazer... it's alright so far, not a disaster but nothing spectacular (cruise collections usually aren't anyway)... but need to see more

 

[LostInNJ]

I kind of like the yellow dress, but that's it so far.

 

[Ms. Diorella]

I really like it , especially that last outfit, s'lovely, thanks for posting them kimair

 

[liberty33r1b]

i do like it, judging from the 3 outfits posted....

 

[Spike413]

The cream suit looks good, and the yellow/orange ombre dress is quite pretty.

 

[dior4ever]

i might be wrong but you dont usually like dior spike no? if so, it confirms what i thought people will like this collection..

 

[Choisir]

All the resort collections so far have impressed me. It seems like there was actual thought put into this rather than it just being the same clothes in brighter colours.

 

[Diorling]

Very nice, it's young and sophisticated. I dont like those pleated gypsy pants on that suit, they're very scary.

 

[Spike413]

i might be wrong but you dont usually like dior spike no? if so, it confirms what i thought people will like this collection..

I think you might be confusing me with someone else dior, I usually love Dior's collections (usually, there have been a few exceptions)

 

[Deleted member 7575]

I actually like it. It's pretty subtle and understated (for galliano). I am sure Galliano being the master he is has all sorts of feats of engineering hidden in the clothes.


My only complaint is that he keeps doing the cinched ankle/cargo pant thing. I didn't like the first time and I do not like what I think is the third time i've seen it. (A/W 04, Dior Golf)

 

[j´adore dior]

Reading the article, I was already seeing the Rio Carnavale and South American Inca tribes parading down the Dior runway on coming July 6th... but that's just me [/QUOTE]


Rio Carnavale and South American Inca tribes?, cool!!, i´m from south america so it will be nice to watch it, but he´s already done south american inspirations, but of course with him you never know (he did cleopatra in 97 and then Egypt in 2004 without even mention her)...., i read on vogue Paris something like he was going to do a gothic theme, maybe he will mix up everything or do something completely different, we will have to wait and enjoy!, also i don´t know if you have noticed that usually there´s always a little hint of the silhouette (for example) of his next couture show on his last rtw show for his own, not always, but i have noticed that .



sorry for being so off topic , but dior haute couture drives me crazy and is great to try to found out the inspirations for the shows.