The Secrets Behind The Looks of the Dior Cruise 2020 Show

Heading over to Morocco, more precisely in a village located in the mountains of the Moroccan Anti-Atlas, a 5-hour long drive from Agadir. On the occasion of the Dior Cruise 2020 show in Marrakech, the Avenue Montaigne house wanted to highlight local know-how starting from the very first look of the show: an incredible woolen coat, made according to the feminine tradition of the Sumano, an association whose mission is to make known and preserve the exceptional know-how of the weavers of the region.

In a video unveiled by the house, Dior followed the steps of making the famous opera coat, whose motifs were made using the technique of reserve dyeing on large sails, with a gradient color of chestnut, raspberry and red; with natural dyes obtained thanks to the locally sourced plants.

Depending on the season, the craftswomen harvest madder, walnut bark or grenades. After drying and grinding, the weavers prepare the fabric fibers. They ligature it to draw the shapes that she wants to get. They then mix the plants in a large pot and plunge the fabric into it so that they can gorge themselves with dye. Then she rinses it and spreads it to dry, before starting again to dye another part of the fabric.

The weavers also use the application technique of henna dye by layering. We learned that the dye is obtained through the preparation of henna paste mixed with spring water and lemon, the more layers are applied, the darker the colour.

The Dior Cruise 2020 show was thus an opportunity for these traditionally African craftsmanships and techniques to be known and recognized globally. The idea is to make continuous production possible for these women, in order to provide them with income that will support their needs.