Dior's Spring 2022 Collection Pays Tribute to Its Swinging '60s Past

Maria Grazia Chiuri looked to the designs of Marc Bohan for inspiration.

When discussing the rich history of Dior, many start with the iconic 1947 New Look moment and Yves Saint Laurent's brief tenure at the top before skipping ahead to the John Galliano years. But there are, quite literally, several decades between those periods, most of which happened under the quiet helm of Marc Bohan.

Having held the position of creative director for 30 years, in fact, Bohan was by far the longest-lasting head of Dior, making it all the more surprising his work isn't more often referenced at the French house. That makes Maria Grazia Chiuri's designs for the Spring 2022 collection, which look back to Bohan's early designs, all the more refreshing.

This season, Chiuri turned to Bohan's 1961 "Slim Look" collection for inspiration, and she benefitted greatly from this perspective. The collection's '60s vibes are stripped of much of the froth that's been present in so many Dior collections under Chiuri — think voluminous tulle skirts and pleated, diaphanous gowns — in favor of clean lines and and boxy cuts. There are kicky minidresses, caged Mary Jane flats, color-blocked swing coats and Youthquake-worthy suiting in eye-searing shades of orange and yellow.

Of course, she doesn't abandon Monsieur Dior's own codes altogether, proposing several new, relaxed takes on the Bar jacket and putting the brand's signature Cannage quilting on lightweight coats. In fact, the expansive collection could have used some editing; the middle sags under the weight of a suite of boxing-inspired sets which, unfortunately, look a little cheap.

Still, this may be one of Chiuri's strongest collections at Dior to date. The best looks were some of the simplest, proving that she doesn't need all that pomp and circumstance to make a statement on the runway.

See the complete Dior Spring 2022 collection in the gallery below:

View the 87 images of this gallery on the original article

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