Dio
r's 2019 Cruise collection was inspired by a Mexican tradition : charrería , horseback riding , specifically escaramuzas , female equestrians .
The female riders are known as escaramuzas charras , who often wear ornate dresses, suede suits, and leather hats and boots for the competitive riding shows. Moreover, escaramuzas are inspired and pay homage to Adelitas , the women who fought during Mexico's Revolution during the early 20th century.
Escaramuzas
perform choreographed routines in teams of 8, a beautiful yet dangerous show, all while dressed in beautiful traditional Mexican dresses or suits.
The pieces designed by Maria Grazia Chiuri were inspired by both escaramuzas and Adelitas : peplum jackets, voluminous skirts, red lips, statement jewelry, belts, and hats . The collection used fabrics such as cotton lace and tulle .
Speaking of her collection, Chiuru explained that “Usually, the female role in rodeo culture is to be there to support their husbands and sons, but these women have decided they wanted to do it themselves,” the designer said. “But they do it in traditional dress because they don’t want to give up their femininity . Women are always being made to feel they have to change who they are to fit in. This collection speaks about that.”
For the show, Dior flew in a group of escaramuzas all the way from Mexico , who were clad in custom Christian Dior .
The collection was shown almost 12 months prior to the Cruise season, May 25, 2018, but it is still available at Dior's website .
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