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    Dior's date with India! Luxe brand to hold fashion show at Mumbai’s Gateway of India, 1st time in the country

    Synopsis

    The fashion show is a collaboration between Dior and Mumbai-based atelier, Chanakya School Of Embroidery.

    gateway of indiaiStock
    This is also the first time a major European luxury brand is holding an official calendar show in India.
    The great and grand Gateway of India in Mumbai will be the backdrop of one of the most fabulous fashion shows. Luxury giant Dior will hold its pre-fall 2023 show on March 30 at the historic site.

    A collaboration between Maria Grazia Chiuri, the creative director of Dior, and Mumbai-based atelier Chanakya School Of Craft, this is also the first time a major European luxury brand is holding an official calendar show in India. Chiuri will also be presenting the fashion titan’s pre-fall collection to the audience, which will be available in the stores starting in April.

    Karishma Swali, the CEO of Chanakya School Of Craft, took to Instagram to write about her upcoming collaboration with the fashion giant. Posing with Chiuri, she wrote, “The moment is here! We are so excited that you’re here, @mariagraziachiuri and celebrate this momentous occasion of the @dior fall ‘23 collection together. We are so honoured!”
    The entrepreneur also dropped a picture with her artisans and reminisced about her journey. Thanking the Dior creative director, she wrote how, 25 years ago, Chiuri supported her vision to make the Indian embroidery sector, an industry dominated by male karigars or artisans, more inclusive.
    “Over the years, we have dreamt and envisioned a world where our craft communities continue to grow and women find a shared space to express themselves freely and creatively," she wrote. This led to the creation of the Chanakya School Of Craft, an initiative to celebrate India’s embroidery culture and also empower women artisans.

    According to a Business of Fashion report, the collection will include gorgeous evening coats, fancy silk dresses, and skirts that are inspired by desi silhouettes.

    However, the decision to showcase a standalone show in India goes far beyond the fascination of Indian embroidery culture.

    According to Sujata Assomull, the senior editor of Vogue, India is all set for a fashion renaissance. The sixth-largest economy in the world, India has the third-largest share of millionaires and a young population, with 65 per cent under 35 years of age. This, combined with India’s digital revolution, has made the country a prime market for fashion brands.

    During the Covid-19 lockdown, many luxury companies were forced to go online. This made many affluent fashionistas from tier-2 and tier-3 cities have access to such brands, and as a result, many international luxury companies witnessed a huge boost in their sales. The Euromonitor predicts that the Indian luxury market will grow from an estimated $5.9 billion in 2022 to $6.1 billion this year.

    Dior’s Desi Connection
    The fashion titan and India actually go back a long way. Inspired by India’s intricate embroidery, Dior created the masterpiece ‘Soiree de Lahore’ for his autumn-winter 1955 haute couture collection. The off-white dress with patterns of gold and peacock motifs, is vintage elegance personified. It also featured a shoulder drape, inspired by the Indian pallu.

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