London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Sep 04, 2025

Dior Haute Couture Spring 2020 Asks a Major Question

Dior Haute Couture Spring 2020 Asks a Major Question

In a collection that explored feminine creative power through goddess-inspired wares, a driving force was an iconic Judy Chicago quote.

When planning for Dior Haute Couture Spring 2020, Maria Grazia Chiuri turned to one powerful Judy Chicago quote: “What If Women Ruled the World?” We've likely all thought about that question on its surface level before, and it fits pretty seamlessly into the creative director's passion for exploring feminist themes. But if one really thinks deeper, amidst all the women-centered news that has aligned with Chiuri's time at Dior, the question may be more relevant than ever.



It goes without saying that our society is in a complex place when it comes to grappling with women in power. On the one hand, feminism has experienced a rejuvenation over the past few years as a new wave of women run for office, create thought-provoking work, and band together to make statements against the systems that have long held them back. On the other, no one seems to know how much progress will come out of this-the Golden Globes and Oscars nominated all male directors after a monumental year for women in filmmaking, American politics is oscillating between celebrating both remaining female presidential candidates and questioning whether the country would elect a woman at all, and countless women, especially those in marginalized groups, are still trying to be heard on a range of issues. In fashion, Chiuri and countless others are contemplating a woman's place as well, and though it's a constant goal to push into modern femininity, finding a sartorial path forward (or, rather, multiple) feels more urgent than ever.

                        

                        

                        

                        

Paying respect to Chicago's work, Chiuri presented a collection that focused on femininity as a creative force. Revisiting the matriarchal themes she has explored through works like 1979's The Dinner Party, the artist created a womb-inspired runway space called The Female Divine, and the collection mingled with the new work using a more conceptual interpretation. Inspired by classical goddesses, Chiuri showed a range of golden ensembles, decadent netted headpieces, and flowing silhouettes. It all meshed clearly with the concept, as well as marking a strategic next chapter in the creative director's oeuvre. Perhaps, we will even see a custom look deriving from Dior Haute Couture Spring 2020 at the Oscars in a few weeks, on a Best Actress nominee or another powerful woman in film. But still, one of the biggest takeaways from this collection is Chiuri's choice to center it around Chicago's question.

"What If Women Ruled the World?"

The scope of this question depends on who you ask, as do the answers, but maybe the mere act of asking has a greater impact than any definitive statement on the matter ever could. All sorts of related questions, from "Would God be female?" to "Would there be violence?", lined the space, while Dior posted videos to its Instagram showing how various collaborators responded to the starting question, as well as prompting followers to share their own answers. Chiuri certainly has her own journey with feminism, and there will always be a host of other designers whose visions vary. But all this being said, it's important to embrace fashion's inherent subjectivity and use one's platform, be it a couture show or a red carpet moment, to invite a conversation.

See all the looks from Dior Haute Couture Spring 2020 below.

                        

                        

                        

                        

                        

                        

                        

                        

                        

                        

                        

                        

                        

                        

                        

                        

                        

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Putin Celebrates ‘Unprecedentedly High’ Ties with China as Gazprom Seals Power of Siberia-2 Deal
China Unveils New Weapons in Grand Military Parade as Xi Hosts Putin and Kim
Queen Camilla’s Teenage Courage: Fended Off Attempted Assault on London Train, New Biography Reveals
Scottish Brothers Set Record in Historic Pacific Row
Rapper Cardi B Cleared of Liability in Los Angeles Civil Assault Trial
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
Couple celebrates 80th wedding anniversary at assisted living facility in Lancaster
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
The White House on LinkedIn Has Changed Their Profile Picture to Donald Trump
"Insulted the Prophet Muhammad": Woman Burned Alive by Angry Mob in Niger State, Nigeria
Trump Responds to Death Rumors – Announces 'Missile City'
Court of Appeal Allows Asylum Seekers to Remain at Essex Hotel Amid Local Tax Boycott Threats
Germany in Turmoil: Ukrainian Teenage Girl Pushed to Death by Illegal Iraqi Migrant
United Krack down on human rights: Graham Linehan Arrested at Heathrow Over Three X Posts, Hospitalised, Released on Bail with Posting Ban
Asian and Middle Eastern Investors Avoid US Markets
Ray Dalio Warns of US Shift to Autocracy
Eurozone Inflation Rises to 2.1% in August
Russia and China Sign New Gas Pipeline Deal
China's Robotics Industry Fuels Export Surge
Suntory Chairman Resigns After Police Probe
Gold Price Hits New All-Time Record
Von der Leyen's Plane Hit by Suspected Russian GPS Interference in an Incident Believed to Be Caused by Russia or by Pro-Peace or by Anti-Corruption European Activists
UK Fintechs Explore Buying US Banks
Greece Suspends 5% of Schools as Birth Rate Drops
Apollo to Launch $5 Billion Sports Investment Vehicle
Bolsonaro Trial Nears Close Amid US-Brazil Tension
European Banks Push for Lower Cross-Border Barriers
Poland's Offshore Wind Sector Attracts Investors
Nvidia Reveals: Two Mystery Customers Account for About 40% of Revenue
Woody Allen: "I Would Be Happy to Direct Trump Again in a Film"
Pickles are the latest craze among Generation Z in the United States.
Deadline Day Delivers Record £125m Isak Move and Donnarumma to City
Nestlé Removes CEO Laurent Freixe Following Undisclosed Relationship with Subordinate
Giuliani Seriously Injured in Accident – Trump to Award Him the Presidential Medal of Freedom
EU is getting aggressive: Four AfD Candidates Die Unexpectedly Ahead of North Rhine-Westphalia Local Elections
Lula and Putin Hold Strategic BRICS Discussions Ahead of Trump–Putin Summit
WhatsApp is rolling out a feature that looks a lot like Telegram.
Investigations Reveal Rise in ‘Sex-for-Rent’ Listings Across Canada Exploiting Vulnerable Tenants
Chinese and Indian Leaders Pursue Amity Amid Global Shifts
European Union Plans for Ukraine Deployment
ECB Warns Against Inflation Complacency
Concerns Over North Cyprus Casino Development
Shipping Companies Look Beyond Chinese Finance
Rural Exodus Fueling European Wildfires
China Hosts Major Security Meeting
Chinese Police Successfully Recover Family's Savings from Livestream Purchases
Germany Marks a Decade Since Migrant Wave with Divisions, Success Stories, and Political Shifts
Liverpool Defeat Arsenal 1–0 with Szoboszlai Free-Kick to Stay Top of Premier League
Prince Harry and King Charles to Meet in First Reunion After 20 Months
Chinese Stock Market Rally Fueled by Domestic Investors
×