Christian Dior Pre Spring 2016

Following the trend of these croisière collection, after Chanel at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul and Louis Vuitton at the Bob Hope Estate in Palm Springs, today Dior chose to showcase its 2016 resort collection at the Palais Bulles, Pierre Cardin’s retro-futuristic mansion designed by Antti Lovag in 1975. Palais Bulles, located between Cannes and Monaco, is considered an architectural utopia in which earth, sky and sea meet, a project (ended in 1984), in which the future is built organically from the forms and architectures of the past. For the new collection, Raf Simons was inspired by the landscape and memory of the South of France. Inspired by the colors, the landscapes and the light of the French Riviera, the designer turned this architectural masterpiece into a metaphor of his fashion that he himself defines as fresh, young, light and playful. "I wanted an idea of freedom, of playfulness and individuality to come to the fore in this collection” said Simons “Much of the design architecture comes from Mr. Dior’s coats; but the heavy fabrics are stripped away, the scale is played with and elements of their style are ‘collaged’ into other forms and garments.” The result of Simons’ creative process is, therefore, a real collage, in which tradition, archive designs, texture and artisanal techniques blend and evoke the variegated reality of the French Riviera. Basic, functional outfits, with a utilitarian feel alternate with classic, elegant pieces: playsuits and painter blouses, swimsuits, jackets with maxi pockets, sheaths with net layers and bias-cut evening dresses are the result of a creative path that blends craftsmanship and traditional techniques, past and present, freedom and individuality