North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's beloved daughter Kim Ju Ae has been making the news headlines ever since she was first spotted by the cameras at one of the ICBM missile testing sites last year.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's beloved daughter Kim Ju Ae has been making the news headlines ever since she was first spotted by the cameras at one of the ICBM missile testing sites last year. Turns out Kim's daughter may be a fashionista after media reports claimed that she was wearing a jacket made by high-end French fashion label Christian Dior. Kim Ju Ae, alongside her father, attended yet another missile launch last week. She was spotted wearing a black quilted jacket in the photographs released by the North Korean state media. South Korean media quickly latched onto the photographs with news outlet TV Chosun noting that the distinctive stitching of the jacket meant that it was the original product sold by fashion house Christian Dior. ALSO READ | North Korea’s Kim Jong Un intends to hand over power to daughter in long term "The coat worn by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's daughter Kim Ju Ae while observing the launch of an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) on the 16th was analyzed to be a product of the French luxury brand Christian Dior," noted the publication. The jacket is sold at a price of $2,800 in the US according to the fashion outlet's website. “The hooded down jacket honors House heritage with the iconic Cannage motif,” read the official description of the jacket. With the hermit kingdom under heavy stress of economic sanctions and such brands not available in North Korea, it is indeed surprising that Kim Ju Ae was pictured wearing the designer jacket. WATCH | Kim Jong-un, daughter Ju Ae attend sports event; Ju Ae spotted for first time at non-military event × Ju Ae is one of Kim's three known children. Last year in November, surprising many, Kim took her to inspect a ballistic missile at the Pyongyang International Airport. The images of Kim going public with his daughter quickly spread across with many suggesting that the North Korean leader was preparing her as his successor. However, not many approved of her. Recent reports have stated that the North Korean people resent her as she looks all "plump and white" - leaving the starving public angry who barely manage to garner three meals a day. ALSO READ | North Koreans secretly hate Kim Jong Un's daughter Kim Ju Ae. Here's why Besides her appearance, citizens also resent how she gets away with wearing anything she likes. Wearing a capitalist brand like 'Christian Dior' might go against the ethos prophesied by Kim Jong Un which may further deepen the angst against his daughter. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Kim Jong Un's daughter wears Christian Dior's $2,800 jacket at missile launch, claims S Korean media

French luxury brand Christian Dior is facing backlash for their&nbsp;skirt design from their recent fall collection. They have been accused of cultural appropriation by Chinese social media users. Several protesters gathered outside a Dior store in Paris and shouted slogans against the brand.

The protesters claimed&nbsp;that their&nbsp;pleated skirt, which costs&nbsp;$3,800,&nbsp;was inspired by centuries-old traditional Chinese garment and the brand has failed to acknowledge the inspiration behind their design.

Reports suggest that the pleated wool and mohair skirt was very similar to a historic Chinese clothing item, known as Mamianqun or horse face skirt. However, the luxury brand advertised it as&nbsp;a "hallmark Dior silhouette."&nbsp;

Horse face skirts aka&nbsp;Mamianqun date back to the Song dynasty and they were worn even&nbsp;during the later Ming and Qing dynasties. The design usually features pleated sides and also has openings at the front and back. This makes the garment&nbsp;well-suited for outdoor activities such as horse riding.

Earlier this month,&nbsp;Chinese netizens and state media outlets started accusing the luxury brand of "shamelessly" misrepresenting the skirt as an original creation. Last Saturday, a small group of demonstrators gathered outside a Dior store on Avenue des Champs-Élysées.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/mahabharat-actor-rasik-dave-passes-away-due-to-kidney-failure-at-65-501936" hreflang="en">Mahabharat actor Rasik Dave passes away due to kidney failure at 65</a>

Several pics and videos of protesters holding signs that read, "Dior&nbsp;stop cultural appropriation," and, "This is a traditional Chinese dress," started doing rounds on social media.

Several counter-protesters also reached&nbsp;the scene to protest against China's alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang.

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French luxury brand Christian Dior is facing backlash for their skirt design from their recent fall collection. They have been accused of cultural appropriation by Chinese social media users.

French luxury brand Christian Dior is facing backlash for their skirt design from their recent fall collection. They have been accused of cultural appropriation by Chinese social media users. Several protesters gathered outside a Dior store in Paris and shouted slogans against the brand. The protesters claimed that their pleated skirt, which costs $3,800, was inspired by centuries-old traditional Chinese garment and the brand has failed to acknowledge the inspiration behind their design. Reports suggest that the pleated wool and mohair skirt was very similar to a historic Chinese clothing item, known as Mamianqun or horse face skirt. However, the luxury brand advertised it as a "hallmark Dior silhouette." Horse face skirts aka Mamianqun date back to the Song dynasty and they were worn even during the later Ming and Qing dynasties. The design usually features pleated sides and also has openings at the front and back. This makes the garment well-suited for outdoor activities such as horse riding. Earlier this month, Chinese netizens and state media outlets started accusing the luxury brand of "shamelessly" misrepresenting the skirt as an original creation. Last Saturday, a small group of demonstrators gathered outside a Dior store on Avenue des Champs-Élysées. Also read: Mahabharat actor Rasik Dave passes away due to kidney failure at 65 Several pics and videos of protesters holding signs that read, "Dior stop cultural appropriation," and, "This is a traditional Chinese dress," started doing rounds on social media. Several counter-protesters also reached the scene to protest against China's alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang.

Christian Dior sparks criticism for ‘culturally appropriating’ centuries-old traditional Chinese skirt

Dior cast fashion as a means of survival, kicking Paris Fashion Week into full swing Tuesday with a lineup of house classics, reworked – and rewired – with a technical bent. 
 
Models took to a runway set in the French capital's Tuileries Gardens, parading a collection of polished, feminine looks infused with workwear references, pairing sheer dresses with motorbike jackets and gloves, adding utility pockets to long skirts, and tossing airbags and stylized bullet-proof vests over shoulders. 
 
The LVMH-owned label was the first major brand to show at Paris Fashion Week, which runs through March 8 and caps a month of fashion events in New York, London and Milan. 
 
“I think that to explore this kind of territory helps us to understand the real value of fashion,” Maria Grazia Chiuri, womenswear designer for the LVMH-owned label, said in an interview. 
 
“Sometimes we think of fashion only with an idea of an embellishment of our body, not something where our body lives,” she added. 
 
The designer worked with D-Air Lab, an Italian company that makes safety gear with airbags designed for workers that fix wind turbines, and protective clothing for Artic exploration – linked to the label Dainese, of Seventies-era motorcycle suit fame. 
 
The opening look, a catsuit wired with luminescent tubing, came out before the lights went up, setting the stage for those that followed, blending high-tech nylon with cashmere, sheer mesh, cinched bar jackets outfitted with heating systems, corsets and biker shorts, accessorized with futuristic goggles and sparkling headbands, that sat atop tightly-woven braids, tucked closely around the head. 
 
The show drew crowds of screaming fans, who rushed across the public gardens to greet K-pop star Jisoo of Blackpink as she exited the venue. 
 
Rihanna also attended the event, sliding into her place next to LVMH boss Bernard Arnault once the audience was seated and ready for the show, prompting guests to stand up to catch images on their phones of the pregnant star.

Dior cast fashion as a means of survival, kicking Paris Fashion Week into full swing Tuesday with a lineup of house classics, reworked – and rewired – with a technical bent.

Dior cast fashion as a means of survival, kicking Paris Fashion Week into full swing Tuesday with a lineup of house classics, reworked – and rewired – with a technical bent. Models took to a runway set in the French capital's Tuileries Gardens, parading a collection of polished, feminine looks infused with workwear references, pairing sheer dresses with motorbike jackets and gloves, adding utility pockets to long skirts, and tossing airbags and stylized bullet-proof vests over shoulders. The LVMH-owned label was the first major brand to show at Paris Fashion Week, which runs through March 8 and caps a month of fashion events in New York, London and Milan. “I think that to explore this kind of territory helps us to understand the real value of fashion,” Maria Grazia Chiuri, womenswear designer for the LVMH-owned label, said in an interview. “Sometimes we think of fashion only with an idea of an embellishment of our body, not something where our body lives,” she added. The designer worked with D-Air Lab, an Italian company that makes safety gear with airbags designed for workers that fix wind turbines, and protective clothing for Artic exploration – linked to the label Dainese, of Seventies-era motorcycle suit fame. The opening look, a catsuit wired with luminescent tubing, came out before the lights went up, setting the stage for those that followed, blending high-tech nylon with cashmere, sheer mesh, cinched bar jackets outfitted with heating systems, corsets and biker shorts, accessorized with futuristic goggles and sparkling headbands, that sat atop tightly-woven braids, tucked closely around the head. The show drew crowds of screaming fans, who rushed across the public gardens to greet K-pop star Jisoo of Blackpink as she exited the venue. Rihanna also attended the event, sliding into her place next to LVMH boss Bernard Arnault once the audience was seated and ready for the show, prompting guests to stand up to catch images on their phones of the pregnant star.

Dior kicks off Paris Fashion Week with survival thrust

Christian Dior's hit exhibition tracing the history of the legendary French fashion house opens in New York this week with an American twist after record-breaking attendances in Paris and London.

"Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams" premieres at the Brooklyn Museum on Friday and features more than 300 haute couture dresses as well as photos, videos and sketches from the museum's collection.

The exhibition, which runs until February 20, charts Dior's 75-year-history, starting with the French couturier's dazzling success in Paris in 1947 with his very first Corolle collection.

It was quickly renamed "New Look" by American magazine Harper's Bazaar and would revolutionize the fashion of the time with a redesigned silhouette of fitted waist and rounded skirt.

On the back of that success, Dior opened his first New York store the following year, in 1948.

"This exhibition shows how Christian Dior was a pioneer in the globalization of fashion," curator Florence Muller told AFP.

"He was the first to expand his brand worldwide, to open branches all over the world, first in New York, then in South America, then all over Europe, in North Africa as well, and even in Japan.

The "Designer of Dreams" exhibition was a roaring success in the French and British capitals in 2017 and 2019 respectively.

The New York version, which opens the same week as the city's Fashion Week, features dresses that were not included in those exhibitions, said Muller.&nbsp;

"In his shop on 5th Avenue, he had workshops, salons, which were somewhat similar to those in Paris. But here, he didn't do haute couture, he did luxury ready-to-wear.

"The collections were presented to the press and to the buyers, and then were sold in department stores or luxury boutiques. So it's a slightly different vision of his style, adapted to American customers," she said.

Among the highlights on show is a small and delicate porcelain doll wearing a black dress that Dior designed himself and which the institution acquired in 1949.

Also included are dresses worn by Grace Kelly and Jennifer Lawrence.

The exhibition tracks the development of the house after the untimely death of Dior himself in 1957 aged just 52, from successor Yves Saint Laurent to current creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri, the first woman to hold the role.

"Christian Dior had this will to make women beautiful in order to make them happy. And I think that's a universal message and that's why this name has become synonymous with elegance, luxury, beauty, and fashion all over the world," said Mulle.

Christian Dior's hit exhibition tracing the history of the legendary French fashion house opens in New York this week with an American twist after record-breaking attendances in Paris and London.

Christian Dior's hit exhibition tracing the history of the legendary French fashion house opens in New York this week with an American twist after record-breaking attendances in Paris and London. "Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams" premieres at the Brooklyn Museum on Friday and features more than 300 haute couture dresses as well as photos, videos and sketches from the museum's collection. The exhibition, which runs until February 20, charts Dior's 75-year-history, starting with the French couturier's dazzling success in Paris in 1947 with his very first Corolle collection. It was quickly renamed "New Look" by American magazine Harper's Bazaar and would revolutionize the fashion of the time with a redesigned silhouette of fitted waist and rounded skirt. On the back of that success, Dior opened his first New York store the following year, in 1948. "This exhibition shows how Christian Dior was a pioneer in the globalization of fashion," curator Florence Muller told AFP. "He was the first to expand his brand worldwide, to open branches all over the world, first in New York, then in South America, then all over Europe, in North Africa as well, and even in Japan. The "Designer of Dreams" exhibition was a roaring success in the French and British capitals in 2017 and 2019 respectively. The New York version, which opens the same week as the city's Fashion Week, features dresses that were not included in those exhibitions, said Muller. "In his shop on 5th Avenue, he had workshops, salons, which were somewhat similar to those in Paris. But here, he didn't do haute couture, he did luxury ready-to-wear. "The collections were presented to the press and to the buyers, and then were sold in department stores or luxury boutiques. So it's a slightly different vision of his style, adapted to American customers," she said. Among the highlights on show is a small and delicate porcelain doll wearing a black dress that Dior designed himself and which the institution acquired in 1949. Also included are dresses worn by Grace Kelly and Jennifer Lawrence. The exhibition tracks the development of the house after the untimely death of Dior himself in 1957 aged just 52, from successor Yves Saint Laurent to current creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri, the first woman to hold the role. "Christian Dior had this will to make women beautiful in order to make them happy. And I think that's a universal message and that's why this name has become synonymous with elegance, luxury, beauty, and fashion all over the world," said Mulle.

New York exhibition celebrates Dior's American influence

French fashion house Dior on Thursday returned to live audience shows with a firework-punctuated presentation of its 2022 Cruise collection in Athens at the Panathenaic stadium, site of the first modern Olympic Games.

Watched by celebrities including film star Catherine Deneuve, model Cara Delevingne and Queen's Gambit actress Anya Taylor Joy as well as Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou, the collection showcased designs inspired by antiquity and traditional Greek dress.

Greek artisans whose work was featured in the collection included a tailor and embroiderer from Argos in the Peloponnese, a silk factory in the northeastern town of Soufli, and a maker of fisherman's caps from the port of Piraeus.

"I am very interested in the craftmanship. It's my passion," Dior creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri told AFP.

"Each country has many different aspects in fashion," she said.

Cruise collections fall between usual spring/summer and autumn/winter collections -- and French houses often visit other countries for the launch.&nbsp;

The event in Athens "(blends) the power of heritage and contemporary inventiveness," Dior said.

The peplos, the robe traditionally worn by women in ancient Greece, was a "key inspiration" for the show's tunics, the fashion house said.&nbsp;

The collection -- mostly in black, white, grey, gold and blue -- also included sportswear pieces and suits inspired by jackets and pants worn by Marlene Dietrich.

The show took place 70 years after an iconic Dior shoot at the Acropolis.

"We are very proud to be here," Chiuri said.

"When I arrived in Dior I found the archive and I said, one day it would be great to realise again this trip in Greece. In some ways, it’s an anniversary," she said.

In addition to the Acropolis, Greek officials have permitted Dior photo shoots at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, the Ancient Agora in Athens, the temple of Poseidon at Sounio and the temple of Zeus at Nemea.

Chiuri said getting crowds back was a welcome feeling. The last show with spectators, a smaller affair, was in September.

"We worked a lot with video, film, but it’s completely different to have an audience at our fashion show. It's like a concert," she said.

"The guests are part of the show with us."

Last summer, Dior launched its cruise collection in Piazza del Duomo in Lecce in Italy.

French fashion house Dior on Thursday returned to live audience shows with a firework-punctuated presentation of its 2022 Cruise collection in Athens at the Panathenaic stadium, site of the first modern Olympic Games.

French fashion house Dior on Thursday returned to live audience shows with a firework-punctuated presentation of its 2022 Cruise collection in Athens at the Panathenaic stadium, site of the first modern Olympic Games. Watched by celebrities including film star Catherine Deneuve, model Cara Delevingne and Queen's Gambit actress Anya Taylor Joy as well as Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou, the collection showcased designs inspired by antiquity and traditional Greek dress. Greek artisans whose work was featured in the collection included a tailor and embroiderer from Argos in the Peloponnese, a silk factory in the northeastern town of Soufli, and a maker of fisherman's caps from the port of Piraeus. "I am very interested in the craftmanship. It's my passion," Dior creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri told AFP. "Each country has many different aspects in fashion," she said. Cruise collections fall between usual spring/summer and autumn/winter collections -- and French houses often visit other countries for the launch. The event in Athens "(blends) the power of heritage and contemporary inventiveness," Dior said. The peplos, the robe traditionally worn by women in ancient Greece, was a "key inspiration" for the show's tunics, the fashion house said. The collection -- mostly in black, white, grey, gold and blue -- also included sportswear pieces and suits inspired by jackets and pants worn by Marlene Dietrich. The show took place 70 years after an iconic Dior shoot at the Acropolis. "We are very proud to be here," Chiuri said. "When I arrived in Dior I found the archive and I said, one day it would be great to realise again this trip in Greece. In some ways, it’s an anniversary," she said. In addition to the Acropolis, Greek officials have permitted Dior photo shoots at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, the Ancient Agora in Athens, the temple of Poseidon at Sounio and the temple of Zeus at Nemea. Chiuri said getting crowds back was a welcome feeling. The last show with spectators, a smaller affair, was in September. "We worked a lot with video, film, but it’s completely different to have an audience at our fashion show. It's like a concert," she said. "The guests are part of the show with us." Last summer, Dior launched its cruise collection in Piazza del Duomo in Lecce in Italy.

Dior channels ancient Greece for Cruise collection

Greece's top archaeological advisory body Wednesday approved use of several key sites including the Acropolis for an upcoming shoot by French fashion house Dior, a culture ministry source said.

The photo shoots will be held for material to be presented during a runway show in Athens next month, the ministry official said.

The trip will pay homage to an iconic photo session at the Acropolis 70 years ago for an haute couture collection by Christian Dior.&nbsp;

The official said the central archaeological council had "unanimously" approved the shoots.

In addition to the Acropolis, photo shoots will be held at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, the Ancient Agora in Athens, the temple of Poseidon at Sounio and the temple of Zeus at Nemea, the official said.

A further request to shoot at the Panathenaic stadium, where the 1896 Olympics were held, will be discussed on Thursday.

Dior will hold a runway show on June 17 in Athens to launch its inter-season collection.

"This is not a runway show at the Acropolis," the official emphasised.

The move comes on the heels of ongoing criticism of the Greek government by the opposition over its management of the country's priceless archaeological heritage.

In March, there was criticism over restoration work at the Acropolis that includes a new concrete footpath. The culture ministry has said the redesign improves wheelchair accessibility.

There is also an ongoing row over the planned relocation of antiquities in Thessaloniki for metro construction.&nbsp;

Earlier this month, dozens of intellectuals including several Byzantine experts penned an open letter, calling on the Greek state to leave the antiquities in place.

Greece's top archaeological advisory body Wednesday approved use of several key sites including the Acropolis for an upcoming shoot by French fashion house Dior, a culture ministry source said.

Greece's top archaeological advisory body Wednesday approved use of several key sites including the Acropolis for an upcoming shoot by French fashion house Dior, a culture ministry source said. The photo shoots will be held for material to be presented during a runway show in Athens next month, the ministry official said. The trip will pay homage to an iconic photo session at the Acropolis 70 years ago for an haute couture collection by Christian Dior. The official said the central archaeological council had "unanimously" approved the shoots. In addition to the Acropolis, photo shoots will be held at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, the Ancient Agora in Athens, the temple of Poseidon at Sounio and the temple of Zeus at Nemea, the official said. A further request to shoot at the Panathenaic stadium, where the 1896 Olympics were held, will be discussed on Thursday. Dior will hold a runway show on June 17 in Athens to launch its inter-season collection. "This is not a runway show at the Acropolis," the official emphasised. The move comes on the heels of ongoing criticism of the Greek government by the opposition over its management of the country's priceless archaeological heritage. In March, there was criticism over restoration work at the Acropolis that includes a new concrete footpath. The culture ministry has said the redesign improves wheelchair accessibility. There is also an ongoing row over the planned relocation of antiquities in Thessaloniki for metro construction. Earlier this month, dozens of intellectuals including several Byzantine experts penned an open letter, calling on the Greek state to leave the antiquities in place.

Greece approves Dior shoot at key ancient sites

Christian Dior gave Little Red Riding an edgy makeover for its latest collection on Monday, as it filled the runway with hooded capes and recreated a moonlit scene under the glinting chandeliers of the Versailles palace's Hall of Mirrors.

Once upon a time in Versailles: Dior conjures up edgy fashion fairytale

Lavish golden dresses decked out in zodiac signs and tarot symbols provided some Christian Dior-infused mysticism for the start of Paris' Haute Couture Week, a showcase of one-of-a-kind outfits held online this time due to the COVID-19 crisis.

A Dior tarot for uncertain times at Paris Haute Couture Week

Christian Dior kicked off Paris Fashion Week in earnest this week with a socially-distanced runway show, as models paraded around an art installation recalling Gothic-style stained-glass windows to a live choir performance. A woman holding a banner reading "We are all fashion victims" infiltrated the catwalk at Christian Dior's show in Paris - walking the runway so calmly that it appeared at first to be part of the event.

Extinction Rebellion protester crashes Dior runway in Paris

French luxury label Christian Dior said on Monday it would press ahead with a calendar of fashion shows for this year starting in July with an Italian catwalk display - but without the celebrated front-row audience of A-listers. 
 
The coronavirus crisis has accelerated a rethink among high-end brands of how collections are presented, with some opting out of costly events and restricting the number of clothing ranges they produce. 
 
Dior, one of the LVMH conglomerate`s biggest labels, said it was maintaining its calendar of industry fashion weeks that brings buyers and bloggers to Paris, and would produce other collections in between. 
 
It will premiere a mid-season "cruise" range in the Italian city of Lecce on July 22 with a streamed live show, Chief Executive Pietro Beccari said, after a presentation planned for May was postponed. 
 
"We would like to send a message of support, of hope, of optimism and of rebirth," Beccari said. "I`m thinking about big suppliers but also the small ones, many tiny family businesses of artisans in France and in Italy ... many of them didn`t know and still do not know how to survive." 
 
High-end brands often rely on firms to manufacture luxurious cloth or products that require special treatment, such as items covered in feathers or tinted by hand. 
 
Dior planned to go ahead with a womenswear fashion show usually held in Paris in September, Beccari said, adding that by then it might even bring in a front-row audience. 
 
"Fashion week is important not only for the fashion family, but it`s also important for the city where the shows are," Dior`s designer Maria Grazia Chiuri said. 
 
Fashion events are usually big business for cities like Paris, with hotels normally rammed during that period.

French luxury label Christian Dior said on Monday it would press ahead with a calendar of fashion shows for this year starting in July with an Italian catwalk display - but without the celebrated front-row audience of A-listers.

French luxury label Christian Dior said on Monday it would press ahead with a calendar of fashion shows for this year starting in July with an Italian catwalk display - but without the celebrated front-row audience of A-listers. The coronavirus crisis has accelerated a rethink among high-end brands of how collections are presented, with some opting out of costly events and restricting the number of clothing ranges they produce. Dior, one of the LVMH conglomerate`s biggest labels, said it was maintaining its calendar of industry fashion weeks that brings buyers and bloggers to Paris, and would produce other collections in between. It will premiere a mid-season "cruise" range in the Italian city of Lecce on July 22 with a streamed live show, Chief Executive Pietro Beccari said, after a presentation planned for May was postponed. "We would like to send a message of support, of hope, of optimism and of rebirth," Beccari said. "I`m thinking about big suppliers but also the small ones, many tiny family businesses of artisans in France and in Italy ... many of them didn`t know and still do not know how to survive." High-end brands often rely on firms to manufacture luxurious cloth or products that require special treatment, such as items covered in feathers or tinted by hand. Dior planned to go ahead with a womenswear fashion show usually held in Paris in September, Beccari said, adding that by then it might even bring in a front-row audience. "Fashion week is important not only for the fashion family, but it`s also important for the city where the shows are," Dior`s designer Maria Grazia Chiuri said. Fashion events are usually big business for cities like Paris, with hotels normally rammed during that period.

Dior revives fashion shows - but with no front row

What are famous French luxury brands doing to combat coronavirus?

Dior staged arguably the most startling show in haute couture history Monday inside a temple to 'The Female Divine', with stars including Uma Thurman and Sigourney Weaver filing into the belly of an enormous reclining mother goddess through her stylised vulva. 
 
The 75-metre long (250-foot) installation was created by the veteran American feminist artist Judy Chicago, who told AFP, "We walk in the way we came out." 
 
Its womb-like interior was hung with embroidered banners asking what life would be like "if women ruled the world". 
 
"Would men and women be equal? Would there be violence? Would old women be revered?" asked the pennants, which were sewn at a women's embroidery school in India, where the art is a male preserve. 
 
Dior's designer Maria Grazia Chiuri -- the first woman ever to lead the fabled French fashion house -- has made female empowerment a pillar of the brand, launching her reign in 2016 with a T-shirt reading "We should all be feminists." 
 
"Women's power is not just reproduction, but the power to create," the Italian told AFP as she sent out a breathtaking pantheon of Greek goddesses in shimmering draped diaphanous gold and ivory creations. 
 
- A cape fit for Cleopatra - 
 
The collection wowed critics who said it harked back to haute couture's halcyon days in the Roaring Twenties, with Vogue hailing "its embarrassment of riches". 
 
Inspired by the peplos robes of ancient Greece and the classical statues, Chiuri used rope and knot motifs to tie her vision of classical "Botticellian beauty" to women who have taken destiny by the lapel. 
 
Nothing said that more than the feathered cape fit for Cleopatra herself worn by the Dominican supermodel Lineisy Montero.&nbsp; 
"We want to celebrate the divine aspect of women and their power," Chiuri said. 
 
Women can create their own gods and role models, she insisted, as she sent her modern Athenas and Artemises down an imperial purple carpet of "one thousand flowers" that Chicago imagined as a tribute to Eleanor of Aquitaine, the medieval ruler of France and England.&nbsp; 
 
"The real problem is that we don't think (as women) that we can dream," Chiuri added. 
 
"When I started out in fashion I never thought it would be possible for me to be here, but it can happen. Where does this (blockage) come from?" the designer asked. 
 
"Doing this collaboration with Judy (Chicago) is also a way of telling young women that there are references in art and fashion for them -- people who have gone before them. 
 
"You can do it -- your life is not predetermined to be a mother. I am very happy to be a mother, but it is not the only thing that I am. I am also a creative director, a wife, a friend," Chiuri added. 
 
- Goddess on Rodin's lawn - 
 
With that in mind, the designer replaced the traditional wedding dress that finishes haute couture shows with a staggering bodiced creation showing a rising moon armoured with "a sea of pearl beads". 
 
More than 1,500 hours of painstaking work went into the piece, Chiuri said, with several others woven and fringed with gilded wire to catch and dapple the light taking just as long.&nbsp; 
 
Chicago is best known for her epic work "The Dinner Party" -- three tables set for 39 great but often forgotten women from history, from the Primordial Goddess to Ishtar, Kali and the novelist Virginia Woolf. 
 
The artist said she had dreamed of building her temple to "The Female Divine" since 1977. 
 
Finally being able to make it was "the greatest creative opportunity of a lifetime", the 80-year-old said. 
 
The work will be open to the public Tuesday for five days. 
 
That Chicago's goddess is parked on the lawn of the Rodin Museum in Paris, which celebrates one of the most macho of sculptors, adds a further frisson. 
 
Feminist critics have never forgiven the French artist for his treatment of the sculptor Camille Claudel, his lover and model, who many argue was his equal artistically.&nbsp; 
 
The Dior show kicked off the week of haute couture shows, which are unique to Paris.&nbsp; 
 
Regarded as the pinnacle of fashion, some of the world's richest women pay tens of thousands to be dressed by the little more than a dozen designers who are allowed to use the label under French law.

Dior staged arguably the most startling show in haute couture history Monday inside a temple to 'The Female Divine', with stars including Uma Thurman and Sigourney Weaver filing into the belly of an enormous reclining mother goddess through her stylised vulva.

Dior staged arguably the most startling show in haute couture history Monday inside a temple to 'The Female Divine', with stars including Uma Thurman and Sigourney Weaver filing into the belly of an enormous reclining mother goddess through her stylised vulva. The 75-metre long (250-foot) installation was created by the veteran American feminist artist Judy Chicago, who told AFP, "We walk in the way we came out." Its womb-like interior was hung with embroidered banners asking what life would be like "if women ruled the world". "Would men and women be equal? Would there be violence? Would old women be revered?" asked the pennants, which were sewn at a women's embroidery school in India, where the art is a male preserve. Dior's designer Maria Grazia Chiuri -- the first woman ever to lead the fabled French fashion house -- has made female empowerment a pillar of the brand, launching her reign in 2016 with a T-shirt reading "We should all be feminists." "Women's power is not just reproduction, but the power to create," the Italian told AFP as she sent out a breathtaking pantheon of Greek goddesses in shimmering draped diaphanous gold and ivory creations. - A cape fit for Cleopatra - The collection wowed critics who said it harked back to haute couture's halcyon days in the Roaring Twenties, with Vogue hailing "its embarrassment of riches". Inspired by the peplos robes of ancient Greece and the classical statues, Chiuri used rope and knot motifs to tie her vision of classical "Botticellian beauty" to women who have taken destiny by the lapel. Nothing said that more than the feathered cape fit for Cleopatra herself worn by the Dominican supermodel Lineisy Montero. "We want to celebrate the divine aspect of women and their power," Chiuri said. Women can create their own gods and role models, she insisted, as she sent her modern Athenas and Artemises down an imperial purple carpet of "one thousand flowers" that Chicago imagined as a tribute to Eleanor of Aquitaine, the medieval ruler of France and England. "The real problem is that we don't think (as women) that we can dream," Chiuri added. "When I started out in fashion I never thought it would be possible for me to be here, but it can happen. Where does this (blockage) come from?" the designer asked. "Doing this collaboration with Judy (Chicago) is also a way of telling young women that there are references in art and fashion for them -- people who have gone before them. "You can do it -- your life is not predetermined to be a mother. I am very happy to be a mother, but it is not the only thing that I am. I am also a creative director, a wife, a friend," Chiuri added. - Goddess on Rodin's lawn - With that in mind, the designer replaced the traditional wedding dress that finishes haute couture shows with a staggering bodiced creation showing a rising moon armoured with "a sea of pearl beads". More than 1,500 hours of painstaking work went into the piece, Chiuri said, with several others woven and fringed with gilded wire to catch and dapple the light taking just as long. Chicago is best known for her epic work "The Dinner Party" -- three tables set for 39 great but often forgotten women from history, from the Primordial Goddess to Ishtar, Kali and the novelist Virginia Woolf. The artist said she had dreamed of building her temple to "The Female Divine" since 1977. Finally being able to make it was "the greatest creative opportunity of a lifetime", the 80-year-old said. The work will be open to the public Tuesday for five days. That Chicago's goddess is parked on the lawn of the Rodin Museum in Paris, which celebrates one of the most macho of sculptors, adds a further frisson. Feminist critics have never forgiven the French artist for his treatment of the sculptor Camille Claudel, his lover and model, who many argue was his equal artistically. The Dior show kicked off the week of haute couture shows, which are unique to Paris. Regarded as the pinnacle of fashion, some of the world's richest women pay tens of thousands to be dressed by the little more than a dozen designers who are allowed to use the label under French law.

Dior stuns Paris fashion with its divine feminism

Luxury brand Christian Dior has become the latest company to apologise to China over a perceived insult to national sovereignty, saying Thursday it "cherishes the feelings of the Chinese people".

The French luxury brand found itself in hot water after using a map of China which didn't include Taiwan -- a self-ruled island which Beijing views as part of its territory awaiting reunification.

The scandal broke after a student posted an anonymous video to the Chinese social media app Weibo, purporting to show a presentation Wednesday at Zhejiang Gongshang University, in eastern China.

In the video, a presenter from Dior displays a map without the island of Taiwan marked, which quickly drew criticism online and prompted Dior to deny that it represented the brand's position.

"Dior always respects and maintains the principle of One China, strictly upholds China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and cherishes the feelings of the Chinese people," the French brand said in a statement.

"The company has started to investigate seriously and promised to deal with it severely," Dior's statement read.

By Thursday afternoon, the hashtag "Dior apologises" had more than 250 million views.

China reacts strongly to any brand that appears to insult its territorial sovereignty.

"Haven't we talked about this many times this year? It's definitely intentional," one netizen posted on Weibo.&nbsp;

A &nbsp;number of companies and international airlines have edited their websites to refer to the democratic island of Taiwan as "Taiwan, China" or "Chinese Taipei".

Hotel chain Marriott's website in China was shut down by the authorities for a week in 2018 after a customer questionnaire listed Taiwan, Tibet and Hong Kong as separate countries, prompting the hotel chain to apologise and change the wording.

Brands that appear to support the unrest in Hong Kong have also faced consumer ire, including the territory's flagship carrier Cathay.

Jewellery brand Tiffany removed an advert showing a woman covering one eye earlier this month after Chinese consumers accused the company of supporting protesters by referencing a well-known injury.

Luxury brand Christian Dior has become the latest company to apologise to China over a perceived insult to national sovereignty, saying Thursday it "cherishes the feelings of the Chinese people".

Luxury brand Christian Dior has become the latest company to apologise to China over a perceived insult to national sovereignty, saying Thursday it "cherishes the feelings of the Chinese people". The French luxury brand found itself in hot water after using a map of China which didn't include Taiwan -- a self-ruled island which Beijing views as part of its territory awaiting reunification. The scandal broke after a student posted an anonymous video to the Chinese social media app Weibo, purporting to show a presentation Wednesday at Zhejiang Gongshang University, in eastern China. In the video, a presenter from Dior displays a map without the island of Taiwan marked, which quickly drew criticism online and prompted Dior to deny that it represented the brand's position. "Dior always respects and maintains the principle of One China, strictly upholds China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and cherishes the feelings of the Chinese people," the French brand said in a statement. "The company has started to investigate seriously and promised to deal with it severely," Dior's statement read. By Thursday afternoon, the hashtag "Dior apologises" had more than 250 million views. China reacts strongly to any brand that appears to insult its territorial sovereignty. "Haven't we talked about this many times this year? It's definitely intentional," one netizen posted on Weibo. A number of companies and international airlines have edited their websites to refer to the democratic island of Taiwan as "Taiwan, China" or "Chinese Taipei". Hotel chain Marriott's website in China was shut down by the authorities for a week in 2018 after a customer questionnaire listed Taiwan, Tibet and Hong Kong as separate countries, prompting the hotel chain to apologise and change the wording. Brands that appear to support the unrest in Hong Kong have also faced consumer ire, including the territory's flagship carrier Cathay. Jewellery brand Tiffany removed an advert showing a woman covering one eye earlier this month after Chinese consumers accused the company of supporting protesters by referencing a well-known injury.

Luxury brand Christian Dior apologises for China map excluding Taiwan

Dior went back to nature in its Paris fashion week show Tuesday with Greta Thunberg plaits and a garden-inspired collection that seemed to spring straight from the earth.

With climate change biting at the heels of the fashion industry, and the London shows hit by environmental protests, designer Maria Grazia Chiuri said she wanted to create clothes that "were not just about image but action".

To do that, she embraced the wild, with hemp gardening jackets and a series of stunning diaphanous dresses embroidered with wildflowers.

These were not the dainty pink roses of Dior yore but sinuous survivors, thistles and other prickly customers flowering on stony ground.

Most of her models also wore their hair in plaits not dissimilar to those of the teenage Swedish environmental activist Thunberg.

Three of the most striking looks bore the ghostly prints of real wildflowers, gathered and applied by an artist who has mastered the natural technique.

The Italian designer also pushed the couture boundaries by using hemp and raffia in eye-catching unusual ways, with a layered raffia ballgown and flower-embroidered raffia waistcoats.

All was set in what Chiuri called an "inclusive garden" of 160 trees, their roots wrapped in hemp, which will all be replanted in urban gardens being designed around the French capital by environmental architects, Coloco.

Chiuri told AFP that her inspiration had come from Christian Dior's sister Catherine, a French Resistance hero who became the first female flower wholesaler in Paris -- and who farmed her own roses in the Luberon in the south of France.

- Resistance hero -

The couturier's first perfume, Miss Dior, was named after her, and Chiuri felt her legacy had been a little forgotten.

Catherine ran a Resistence intelligence gathering network from Dior's Paris apartment during the German Nazi Occupation of France.

When she was arrested, she refused to betray her comrades despite being tortured by the Gestapo and sent to a concentration camp.

Chiuri said she was struck by a phrase of Christian Dior's after the war, "Fortunately there are the flowers" -- which she took as a sign of hope after the dark days of World War II.

"Flowers and humans need to live together if humanity is to survive," she told AFP.&nbsp;

"The important issue for everybody, not just in fashion, is to be more responsible about what we do," she said.

"It is not just about image but action... the important issue for everybody, not just fashion, is to be more responsible about what we do," she added.

Fashion being fashion, however, the biggest headlines at the show may be Italian actress Monica Bellucci's new short haircut, or the appearance of Hollywood star Kristen Stewart on the front row with French singer Chris (former Christine and the Queens) and the Italian super-influencer Chiara Ferragni.

- Vaccarello rails at 'puritanism' -

Saint Laurent's Anthony Vaccarello went into his Paris show -- which featured British model Naomi Campbell -- complaining about the "witch-hunt atmosphere" of our times.

The Belgian-born designer has come in for heavy criticism from feminists for his "sexist and demeaning" advertising campaigns -- posters for one of which regulators forced him to pull -- although the label's sales have risen by a quarter.

"It has become impossible to have an opinion that goes against the general view," Vaccarello said.

"They keep tell me, 'It's too short, or too transparent.' I hate this new puritanism that judges everything," he told a French newspaper.&nbsp;

Vaccarello said he was against "PR quotas" about the number of people of colour that should be in a show.

"The problem with racism and misogyny is that it is in the eye of the other, and it not in mine," he added.&nbsp;

This collection was a little less sexed-up than usual, with his mini-skirts a tiny bit longer and one or two of his leather hotpants almost becoming culottes, one of the big style revivals of the moment.

Campbell closed the show in the glistening patent Laurent smoking.

Dior went back to nature in its Paris fashion week show Tuesday with Greta Thunberg plaits and a garden-inspired collection that seemed to spring straight from the earth.

Dior went back to nature in its Paris fashion week show Tuesday with Greta Thunberg plaits and a garden-inspired collection that seemed to spring straight from the earth. With climate change biting at the heels of the fashion industry, and the London shows hit by environmental protests, designer Maria Grazia Chiuri said she wanted to create clothes that "were not just about image but action". To do that, she embraced the wild, with hemp gardening jackets and a series of stunning diaphanous dresses embroidered with wildflowers. These were not the dainty pink roses of Dior yore but sinuous survivors, thistles and other prickly customers flowering on stony ground. Most of her models also wore their hair in plaits not dissimilar to those of the teenage Swedish environmental activist Thunberg. Three of the most striking looks bore the ghostly prints of real wildflowers, gathered and applied by an artist who has mastered the natural technique. The Italian designer also pushed the couture boundaries by using hemp and raffia in eye-catching unusual ways, with a layered raffia ballgown and flower-embroidered raffia waistcoats. All was set in what Chiuri called an "inclusive garden" of 160 trees, their roots wrapped in hemp, which will all be replanted in urban gardens being designed around the French capital by environmental architects, Coloco. Chiuri told AFP that her inspiration had come from Christian Dior's sister Catherine, a French Resistance hero who became the first female flower wholesaler in Paris -- and who farmed her own roses in the Luberon in the south of France. - Resistance hero - The couturier's first perfume, Miss Dior, was named after her, and Chiuri felt her legacy had been a little forgotten. Catherine ran a Resistence intelligence gathering network from Dior's Paris apartment during the German Nazi Occupation of France. When she was arrested, she refused to betray her comrades despite being tortured by the Gestapo and sent to a concentration camp. Chiuri said she was struck by a phrase of Christian Dior's after the war, "Fortunately there are the flowers" -- which she took as a sign of hope after the dark days of World War II. "Flowers and humans need to live together if humanity is to survive," she told AFP. "The important issue for everybody, not just in fashion, is to be more responsible about what we do," she said. "It is not just about image but action... the important issue for everybody, not just fashion, is to be more responsible about what we do," she added. Fashion being fashion, however, the biggest headlines at the show may be Italian actress Monica Bellucci's new short haircut, or the appearance of Hollywood star Kristen Stewart on the front row with French singer Chris (former Christine and the Queens) and the Italian super-influencer Chiara Ferragni. - Vaccarello rails at 'puritanism' - Saint Laurent's Anthony Vaccarello went into his Paris show -- which featured British model Naomi Campbell -- complaining about the "witch-hunt atmosphere" of our times. The Belgian-born designer has come in for heavy criticism from feminists for his "sexist and demeaning" advertising campaigns -- posters for one of which regulators forced him to pull -- although the label's sales have risen by a quarter. "It has become impossible to have an opinion that goes against the general view," Vaccarello said. "They keep tell me, 'It's too short, or too transparent.' I hate this new puritanism that judges everything," he told a French newspaper. Vaccarello said he was against "PR quotas" about the number of people of colour that should be in a show. "The problem with racism and misogyny is that it is in the eye of the other, and it not in mine," he added. This collection was a little less sexed-up than usual, with his mini-skirts a tiny bit longer and one or two of his leather hotpants almost becoming culottes, one of the big style revivals of the moment. Campbell closed the show in the glistening patent Laurent smoking.

Luxury brand Christian Dior says it with wildflowers and Greta Thunberg plaits at Paris Fashion Week

A collection of 27 outfits worn by Hollywood legend Olivia de Havilland is going up for auction next month, some of which she wore on-screen during her acting career more than 50 years ago. 
 
The Sept. 17 online auction at Chicago-based Hindman also includes haute couture designs by Christian Dior that de Havilland, who turned 103 in July, wore at movie premieres and galas between 1954-1989. 
 
De Havilland, a double Oscar winner who is best known for playing Scarlett O`Hara`s sister-in-law in 'Gone with the Wind,'&nbsp;sold the bulk of her Dior collection at a London auction in 1993. 
 
The items up for sale next month are being sold by her family, Hindman auctions said on Monday. 
 
They include a green Dior dress the actress wore in the 1964 movie 'Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte,'&nbsp;a belted day dress she was photographed in the day before her 1954 wedding to her second husband, Pierre Galante, and eight evening gowns. 
 
Prices for the outfits, some of which include shoes, range from $300-$5,000. 
 
De Havilland made her last screen appearance in the 1988 TV movie 'The Woman He Loved'&nbsp;and now lives quietly in France.&nbsp;

A collection of 27 outfits worn by Hollywood legend Olivia de Havilland is going up for auction next month, some of which she wore on-screen during her acting career more than 50 years ago.

A collection of 27 outfits worn by Hollywood legend Olivia de Havilland is going up for auction next month, some of which she wore on-screen during her acting career more than 50 years ago. The Sept. 17 online auction at Chicago-based Hindman also includes haute couture designs by Christian Dior that de Havilland, who turned 103 in July, wore at movie premieres and galas between 1954-1989. De Havilland, a double Oscar winner who is best known for playing Scarlett O`Hara`s sister-in-law in 'Gone with the Wind,' sold the bulk of her Dior collection at a London auction in 1993. The items up for sale next month are being sold by her family, Hindman auctions said on Monday. They include a green Dior dress the actress wore in the 1964 movie 'Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte,' a belted day dress she was photographed in the day before her 1954 wedding to her second husband, Pierre Galante, and eight evening gowns. Prices for the outfits, some of which include shoes, range from $300-$5,000. De Havilland made her last screen appearance in the 1988 TV movie 'The Woman He Loved' and now lives quietly in France.

Hollywood legend Olivia de Havilland's Dior outfits up for auction

In pics: Roundup of Best Looks from Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week 2019

Christian Dior has for years, been everyone’s favourite couture label. From Princess Margaret's 21st birthday gown to actress Jennifer Lawrence's red carpet dress in which she won an Oscar, Dior outfits have headlined almost every important event.

‘Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams’ now takes a close look at the history of the luxury brand he founded in 1946 and which remains the epitome of haute couture. On display at the Victoria &amp; Albert Museum in London, almost 500 items, crafted by the couturier will be on display.&nbsp;

The museum will be open from February 2.&nbsp;

"Not only did (Dior) ... revolutionise fashion design ... but he was also important in how he did business," Oriole Cullen, Fashion and Textiles curator at the V&amp;A, told Reuters.

"His business model was very much something which is still in use today. He wanted to look globally and at different markets."

One of the earliest outfits on show is Dior's signature Bar suit: a sculpted off-white jacket synched at the waist and black pleated skirt. The 1947 design revolutionised womenswear and was dubbed Dior's "New Look".

<img alt="dior" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1ff4344e-2de3-4f51-8933-4e69153d8c46" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/New%20%2811%29_3.jpg" />

<img alt="dior" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9f94f452-735f-475b-ba6c-0a5e63cbd263" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/New%20%2812%29_2.jpg" />

Another highlight is the gold straw embroidered silk bodice and full-skirted gown Dior designed for Britain's Princess Margaret's in 1951. She wore the gown for her official 21st birthday portrait.

<img alt="dior" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="738754c2-e026-41e4-b813-ac6341b188a5" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/New%20%2815%29_6.jpg" />

<img alt="dior" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7f59b704-76b6-41f1-a7dd-7cc3950a2775" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/New%20%2813%29_3.jpg" />

Dior died at the age of 52 in 1957. The label was taken over by a young Yves Saint Laurent who was followed by successive creative directors Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferre, John Galliano, Raf Simons and Maria Grazia Chiuri, at the helm since 2016.

Christian Dior has for years, been everyone’s favourite couture label. From Princess Margaret's 21st birthday gown to actress Jennifer Lawrence's red carpet dress in which she won an Oscar, Dior outfits have headlined almost every important event.

Christian Dior has for years, been everyone’s favourite couture label. From Princess Margaret's 21st birthday gown to actress Jennifer Lawrence's red carpet dress in which she won an Oscar, Dior outfits have headlined almost every important event. ‘Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams’ now takes a close look at the history of the luxury brand he founded in 1946 and which remains the epitome of haute couture. On display at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, almost 500 items, crafted by the couturier will be on display. The museum will be open from February 2. "Not only did (Dior) ... revolutionise fashion design ... but he was also important in how he did business," Oriole Cullen, Fashion and Textiles curator at the V&A, told Reuters. "His business model was very much something which is still in use today. He wanted to look globally and at different markets." One of the earliest outfits on show is Dior's signature Bar suit: a sculpted off-white jacket synched at the waist and black pleated skirt. The 1947 design revolutionised womenswear and was dubbed Dior's "New Look". Another highlight is the gold straw embroidered silk bodice and full-skirted gown Dior designed for Britain's Princess Margaret's in 1951. She wore the gown for her official 21st birthday portrait. Dior died at the age of 52 in 1957. The label was taken over by a young Yves Saint Laurent who was followed by successive creative directors Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferre, John Galliano, Raf Simons and Maria Grazia Chiuri, at the helm since 2016.

In pictures: Headlining Dior gowns showcased at London exhibition

Harlequins and Pierrot clowns entertained at Christian Dior's Haute Couture catwalk show in Paris on Monday, as models sporting ruffs, sequined dresses and ringmaster jackets paraded through a circus tent, surrounded by acrobats.

Glittering bonnets by milliner Stephen Jones and sparkling shoes added to the whimsical collection, on the first day of Haute Couture Fashion Week, a celebration of an elite club of high-end designers with one-of-a-kind outfits.

Actresses Felicity Jones and Rachel Brosnahan looked on from the front row, as the models wove their way through human towers formed by the troupe of female acrobats.

Polka-dotted skirts and extravagantly beaded bodysuits contrasted with more subtle looks at the show, with black or white ruffle necks recalling the melancholic Pierrot, a fictional love-worn clown.

<img alt="fashion show" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="957f86b5-cd0f-4ebd-aab2-8d25551ad922" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/New%20%285%29_3.jpg" />

<img alt="fashion show" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="82cc89b9-8641-4706-85be-c47e5fd038d7" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/New%20%287%29_2.jpg" />

Standout numbers at the LVMH -owned brand included a gold pleated evening dress with a Grecian twist.

Dior said in show notes that the circus was a "magical place" which its eponymous late founder had enjoyed visiting.

<img alt="fashion show" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="34a8edee-152e-4e96-bcab-cacea3270e06" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/New%20%288%29_0.jpg" />

<img alt="fashion show" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="cb2b704b-9ed5-4cce-bc1a-f21994823354" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/New%20%284%29_2.jpg" />

"The circus is something that goes around the world and changes the city when it arrives. It's like fashion week when arriving in Paris or Milan, it changes the atmosphere," womenswear designer Maria Grazia Chiuri told journalists.

Haute Couture Week runs until Jan. 24, with grandees of Parisian fashion like Chanel and Jean Paul Gaultier as well as newer designers such as Julien Fournie and Alexis Mabille set to present their styles in the run of 30 catwalk shows.

Harlequins and Pierrot clowns entertained at Christian Dior's Haute Couture catwalk show in Paris on Monday, as models sporting ruffs, sequined dresses and ringmaster jackets paraded through a circus tent, surrounded by acrobats.

Harlequins and Pierrot clowns entertained at Christian Dior's Haute Couture catwalk show in Paris on Monday, as models sporting ruffs, sequined dresses and ringmaster jackets paraded through a circus tent, surrounded by acrobats. Glittering bonnets by milliner Stephen Jones and sparkling shoes added to the whimsical collection, on the first day of Haute Couture Fashion Week, a celebration of an elite club of high-end designers with one-of-a-kind outfits. Actresses Felicity Jones and Rachel Brosnahan looked on from the front row, as the models wove their way through human towers formed by the troupe of female acrobats. Polka-dotted skirts and extravagantly beaded bodysuits contrasted with more subtle looks at the show, with black or white ruffle necks recalling the melancholic Pierrot, a fictional love-worn clown. Standout numbers at the LVMH -owned brand included a gold pleated evening dress with a Grecian twist. Dior said in show notes that the circus was a "magical place" which its eponymous late founder had enjoyed visiting. "The circus is something that goes around the world and changes the city when it arrives. It's like fashion week when arriving in Paris or Milan, it changes the atmosphere," womenswear designer Maria Grazia Chiuri told journalists. Haute Couture Week runs until Jan. 24, with grandees of Parisian fashion like Chanel and Jean Paul Gaultier as well as newer designers such as Julien Fournie and Alexis Mabille set to present their styles in the run of 30 catwalk shows.

Christian Dior's Haute Couture circus clowns conjure up magical place

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