Dior Creative Director Maria Grazia Chiuri's Scottish Resort Fashion Spectacle

Maria Grazia Chiuri, creative director of Dior, spent a day transforming into Maria Queen of Scots, commanding an army of models dressed in lace, black velvet, and tartan, as they marched through the Italianate gardens of 15th-century Drummond Castle. (wwd. com) For her resort show, Chiuri chose Scotland, where the weather can be unforgiving.

On this particular Monday, however, the skies were blue and sunny, a minor miracle in a country notorious for its rain. The evening was chilly, but Chiuri was undeterred. In a nod to the typical Scottish drizzle, the Eurythmics' "Here Comes the Rain Again" played as the models strolled through the geometric paths and mazes of the gardens.

Chiuri had long coveted staging a show in Scotland, driven by a desire to continue the Dior tradition, learn about local textiles... and delve deeper into women's history. She pored over vintage images from Dior's 1955 spring show, held in the ballroom of the Gleneagles Hotel, and incorporated them into a cape coat, T-shirts, printed bags, and blankets given to guests at the show.

Chiuri, who had only visited Scotland a few times before working on the collection, was enchanted by the country's romantic allure. "It's very cinematic and present in our imagination," she said during a preview at her temporary Edinburgh studio. "It's poetic, romantic... and like a fairy tale place with all the castles." Chiuri noted that Scotland's outdoor culture has influenced designers like Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen, and that Christian Dior was similarly fascinated by the country and its textiles.

With her collection, Chiuri aimed to pay homage to Dior's Scottish connections while embracing the country's rich textile heritage. As the rain returned on Tuesday, "Chiuri's show remained a memorable event," "one that solidified her reputation as a fashion visionary."