How a woman defied ageism to make Dior one of the biggest brands in France

telegraph.co.uk:

is wearable. While there may be some transparency and a few show pieces on the catwalk (fewer than most other shows), in-store, the rails and shelves are filled with beautiful, updated versions of the Bar jacket Christian Dior designed in 1947, the full skirts he brought back that same year (Chiuri’s are far, far lighter, in line with modern expectations) and meticulously tailored denim pieces, to name three huge hits for the house, that she revisited this season.As well as collaborating with feminist artist Mariella Bettineschi, whose striking reinterpretations of great Renaissance portraits of women adorned the walls round the catwalk, Chiuri teamed up with D-Air Lab, a tech company, to make jackets that can regulate body temperature, heels and boots with lightweight mesh inserts to stop ankles from twisting.

Other jackets came with airbags that inflate on impact. While all these inner workings will be hidden in the finished garments, for the show, the technical additions were on the outside so the audience understood the dual purpose: adornment and practicality.These elements of getting dressed have always occupied her, along with comfort.

So while she is faithful to the spirit of Dior, mining its archives each season, each collection she finds ways to make its emblems, from the houndstooth check and kitten heels that Christian Dior developed with Roger Vivier to the quilted leathers, not just relevant, but ahead of the pack. ‘When Mr Dior began making shoes, they were individually fitted to each couture client’s feet, but with ready to wear, we obviously can’t do that,’ says Chiuri.

By using materials more common in sports such as motorbiking, she’s come up with a shoe that’s both decorative and malleable.