Maria Grazia Chiuri: a woman at the head of Dior

For the first time, a woman, Maria Grazia Chiuri, takes the reins of the prestigious French fashion house.

"Me, go offer my services at Dior? Unthinkable! I do would never allow it."In this restaurant in the Rue de Marignan, right next to the offices of the fashion house, she flushed slightly under his platinum blond. At 52, more than thirty in fashion, this champion of "fashion planet" blushed easily.This is however not a beginner: it is she who, with Pierpaolo Piccioli , gave Valentino the top . She has returned home again "desirable" for hundreds of it-girls, followed by millions of subscribers Instagram. But then, Maria Grazia Chiuri happening in Formula 1. A Dior fashion show is a hundred times more impact. This house is a titan. She looks you straight in the eye: "I know there's a danger. But ... if I had not felt in myself capable, I would not have accepted the proposal. I advance. After twenty years with Valentino, it was time. "

Quite a change. She lives in Rome has always been her husband directs his shirt factory. Not easy to move, to change gear. The prospect was weighed in family council! "My children are grown, they encouraged me:" Go ahead, you can only think of you, now! "And Paolo, my husband, too:" Okay, think of you! "Unanimously ! "As if until then she had passed her mother's life and wife before his career. Does she know that only 4% of bosses at the head of the 500 most powerful fashion companies? It opens a path. "My children are stronger than me. Good. "Rachele, his daughter, is 20 years old; it follows an art school in London while Nicolo, 23, ends an engineer. They bathed in the garment. "I did not choose to" make fashion, "I was born into it. My mother opened, very young, a sewing workshop. Although obliged: my grandfather died in the war. My grandmother was left alone to raise five children. At the time, the boys went to school and girls were learning a trade. If she could choose, Mom would have preferred the studies. That's why she insisted that I make an art school. "

"I do not wear red, this is not my color" Maria Grazia Chiuri

Machismo has left traces in this valiant soldier rather that we saw as a great romantic. But his first show for Dior depicts a fencer who did not smile, studded with protective vests worn over ... gauzy tulle skirts, satin and small ruffles. The girls are very thin, very young, slender and vulnerable. An illustration of his thought. From his fight! "We must help women to have confidence. I want to put feminism in the center. A modern feminism. "She did not mince words. Not afraid to confess distracted by new male chauvinists. "It is for us to help boys and girls to find a new balance. "That's why she loves Rihanna. One of the muses of the brand, not very "discreet chic French". After the parade, it is in mini-dress, low-cut to the navel on her tattoos, she came to congratulate Maria Grazia. Here is one that does not arise from confidence issues in itself. A woman-man. Maria Grazia that never was. Her confidence, she has not won by step. Discreet. "I do not like to put myself forward, she says. For example, I do not wear red, this is not my color. Red sends a message: "Look at me, I'm here." I am a little shy. "

"Somewhat" ... It is so refreshing! When the compliments on his natural face that radiates on his midnight blue silk shirt, she's embarrassed.Blushed again. Without makeup, translucent skin and no lipstick, it is a warm woman, cheerful and tolerant. Not one to warn you about the decency to go thru outfit fifties. "Dress yourself as you feel! Age is not a factor in my creation. Age is in the mind. "And the bad taste? "I try, I can not give you an example of bad taste in fashion. No, for me, bad taste is in education. "

Tulle, chiffon, georgette, very light materials for girls twisted chignon.© Sylvie Lancrenon

She does not need a marketing study to find out what will work in a collection of ready-to-wear. "I just have to open your eyes. I walk the streets, airports, cities. I go everywhere. I love to travel. "Cheerful, she tells you her heart strokes, stars in his eyes. "In Rome, they restored the Spanish Steps, it is a wonder! I was last night at an outdoor concert.There was a crazy world, it was beautiful! "A stranger to beauty, insatiable eye, practiced since childhood. "I love Rome. I love art towns. Still we discover something new. Like Paris, where I had already every month for Valentino. " 
Open to the world, the ideas, the young. "When I started, the Fendi sisters surrounded me kindness and generosity. They listened to my proposals as I had no experience. I adopt the same opening. We do nothing alone. I like teamwork, ping pong ideas ... "Confirmation in the workshops of the house. This is where Maria Grazia wanted from the outset forge links.Bialobos Olivier, head of communication at Dior: "She is the only one of the creators of recent home, visiting the leather workshops in Italy," is he surprised.

At Dior, the workshops of ready-to-wear and couture are abroad, or even in the provinces. They unfold in a renovated mansion in the Champs Elysees, in this golden triangle rents unaffordable. It is here, Franklin Roosevelt metro, which are manufactured prototypes of the eight annual parades, ready-to-wear and haute couture. An incredible luxury.Admittedly, over three floors, there is there the cream artisans. Under the leadership of Aisha, the first fuzzy workshop, "we are in permanent collection." Model building, construction of the dress on canvas, mounted on boss, alternative fabric realization and finally making the final model with the right fabric. Not to mention embroidery, decorations and other applications at small point ... The "magic hands" who know how to set to music the visions of the studio. "And if one is not sure of what the creator desires for a dress, a jacket, he is made to two or three proposals. "No risks with Maria Grazia. She may not speak French, they include five on five.

She knows that between the French and Italians are made connivance of curiosity and mutual fascination

Needless to ask where it finds its themes: "That's life that feeds my inspiration! My distant trips are my oxygen. The daily also world events influence me. "She remembers that the Berlusconi political advent in Italy in the early 2000s, the studio Valentino had digested the shock in his way:" We had very opaque dresses, very modest, in reaction to this vulgarity exposed ... "The Italians sometimes we confuse, we French who so admire their culture. How could Berlusconi plebiscite, if refined them?"But the Italians are like no other! As Americans these days with Trump: they believe in the miracle man. They dream, like children, the magical power of one, then that is all together, with effort, we can solve our problems. Here too ! "

She knows that between the French and Italians are made connivance of curiosity and mutual fascination. A lifestyle shared. Well, dress question Italian clients - men especially - has a point: "For us, it was used to" dress "to go to Mass, to communion, to a family party. I had an aunt who pomponnait to go to the doctor! In our homes, fathers educate son to spot the right jacket that falls just. "In the history of costume, our Italian diplomat, went to Caesar ..." The French design a timeless fashion and aristocratic. They want to continue. While the Italians are in the moment."Phew! 
She smiled, order a red fruit salad. In his hands, a dozen insolently gothic rings, only extravagance in navy outfit: vanities, precious skulls with diamonds, large gray pearls also set with diamond ... Most are signed Maria Codognato a confidential claw Venice . "Gifts from my husband."Here she blushed again. Maria Full of Grace.