AROUND THE WORLD: After stops in Seoul, Mumbai and New York City, Dior’s annual pre-fall collection is landing this year in Japan, WWD has learned exclusively.
The French fashion house said Friday it will present the women’s collection designed by Maria Grazia Chiuri on April 15 in the garden of Tō-ji Temple in Kyoto.
Founded in 796, it was one of two guardian temples flanking the main entrance of the city, which was then the capital of Japan and seat of the imperial court. Known for its five-storied pagoda, the Buddhist temple was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994, as part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto.
While the cherry blossom season is due to end in early April, the location features a garden and pond, in which turtles and koi swim.
House founder Christian Dior first showcased his collections in Japan in 1953.
“In the early 1950s, Christian Dior began collaborating with a Kyoto-based silk workshop: he subsequently designed a series of looks for his haute couture collection which he cut in the precious Japanese textile,” Chiuri said in a statement.
“The cradle of exclusive craftsmanship honed by generations of gifted artisans, the city offers a unique context to reignite some of these creative exchanges and to present my upcoming fall 2025 collection,” she added.
Dior has yet to unveil the pre-fall collection, which is usually shown to press in December, with the runway show timed to coincide with its arrival in stores.
Friday’s announcement comes amid a rash of management and creative changes at parent company LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton.
Wednesday’s announcement that Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez are stepping down as creative directors of Proenza Schouler has fanned speculation that they will succeed Jonathan Anderson at the creative helm of Spanish luxury house Loewe, in turn clearing the way for Anderson to eventually take up a creative role at Dior, as has been reported.
LVMH, Loewe, McCollough and Hernandez declined all comment.
Chiuri is scheduled to show her cruise collection for Dior in Rome on May 27.
