Big in Japan: Dior’s A/W25 Collection Is An Ode To The East
Dior revisits its past and pays homage to the east with a collection that transcends time and trends
In 1954, Christian Dior travelled to Japan in search of textiles to translate into Dior creations in France. Monsieur Dior was particularly interested in the historic Jacquard silk which showcased intricate Japanese symbols, blossoms and mythical dragons, all telling their magical story throughout the delicate, woven fabric. Japan’s Jacquard weaving workshops are world-famous, and hail back to 1894 in Kyoto. One of the most revered in the country is the Tatsumura Textile atelier, who to this day, specialise in restoration of antique textiles – some taking over one year to make (by one artisan) and selling for hundreds of millions of Japanese Yen.
On completion of the visit, Monsieur Dior chose three fabrics from Tatsumura from which he later went on to create two of the most iconic coats for the house, the Diorpaletot and Diorcoat. Forging forward 70 years, Dior descended on Kyoto to present their Fall 2025 collection under the Sakura cherry blossom trees at the Tōji Temple, which was founded in the late 700s and translates as the ‘East Temple.’ Dotted with sirene streams, tea-house and surrounding smaller temples and halls, the Tōji Temple is the tallest pagoda in the country and a UNESCO world heritage site. Notably, the gardens’ grounds are bursting with blossom trees which famously bloom for only two weeks of the year, making this a Dior moment not to be missed.
Creative Director Maria Grazia Chiuri paid a thoughtful homage to the seven-decade relationship with the region, presenting silhouettes with Japanese savoir-faire, via a collection of intricately embroidered creations usually reserved for couture. The three fabrics that were originally commissioned by the house 70 years earlier, were ordered again, this time by Maria Grazia Chiuri, who went on to reinvent and create a new collection of coats and kimono-dresses for today.
For the collection, the Creative Director explored different clothing codes of the region, in particular, revisiting the Diorpaletot and Diorcoat which were originally designed to be worn over a kimono, whilst still respecting the shape and form of its design. Maria Grazia Chiuri is known to create with a focus on the architecture of a garment, a point that was certainly put on centre stage with this collection. “I’ve been researching the beauty of the kimono and the philosophy behind its shape. It’s the body that defines it,” she said to Harper’s Bazaar during a backstage preview. “In Western fashion, it’s often the opposite – the body is expected to conform to the garment.”
The first-ever female Creative Director for Dior, Maria Grazia Chiuri married East and West to create a collection of classic pieces for contemporary life. Modern-day kimonos are matched with cropped jackets and midi-skirts making this age-old garment no longer limited to the East. The kimonos came in varying lengths and combined a recurring cherry blossom design in seemingly exact colours of the surrounding blooms. Cashmere coats were beautifully and intricallty embrodied with the blossom motif with kimono-esque folds, drop shoulders with cropped sleeve lengths allowing cuff and dress details to peek through. Micro-belts were worn with vast coats and the Dior blossom tote, stuffed to the brim with local blossoms, made its debut. Fringing also hemmed long skirts and sleeves, and flats dominated the pebbled path throughout.
With the Tōji Temple twinkling in the background and the cherry blossom trees providing the guests a canopy, the catwalk coiled around a stony pathway to a playlist curated by the fashion world’s most famous Sound Director, Michel Gaubert. Post-parade, guests congragated beneath the blossoms, to celebrate this historical journey, nodding to the brands past whilst beautifully moving to the future.
Images supplied.
From Harper’s Bazaar Arabia May Issue 2025.