EXCLUSIVE: Dior Documentary Goes Behind the Scenes With Indian Artisans

Lily Templeton
·2 min read
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If the spectacular display of crafts and colors shown by Dior at the Gateway of India in Mumbai last March left you hankering for more, the behind-the-scenes documentary slated for release on Monday could slake your thirst.

French filmmaker Mélinda Triana, a regular Dior collaborator who has captured features around iconic house designs in recent years, chronicled the making of Maria Grazia Chiuri’s pre-fall 2023 collection in a 32-minute documentary. It follows the Dior designer from India, where she worked with the artisans of the Chanakya ateliers on the rich embroidery and embellishment, to Paris’ Musée Guimet, dedicated to Asian arts, as she prepares for the collection.

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Central to the unfolding exploration is Chiuri’s three-decade-long collaboration and friendship with Karishma Swali, who heads the the Chanakya Ateliers and the Chanakya School of Craft, whose work appears in the collections but also the monumental art tapestries that have adorned Dior runways in recent years.

The film then takes viewers through the landscapes of India in pursuit of the textile traditions of weavers, printmakers and artisans that underpin the pre-fall 2023 collection. Archival designs from Christian Dior, Marc Bohan and Gianfranco Ferré are glimpsed in images, pointing to the long-standing importance of the country’s sartorial traditions and techniques to the house.

Then comes the preparation for the show, including the creation and installation of the 46-foot “Toran” site-specific artwork displayed under the Gateway in a nod to the way women in India use embroidery and patchwork to decorate local fabric as a way to welcome guests into their homes.

The pre-fall 2023 behind-the-scenes documentary will make its debut on YouTube Premiere at 4 p.m. CET on Monday, with a live chat option, and will be subsequently available through Dior’s account on the video platform.

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