The air crackled with excitement as the Dior boutique in Jio World Plaza, Mumbai, prepared to unveil its latest masterpiece – the Cruise 2025 collection. The afternoon sun beat down on the bustling city, but inside the boutique, a cool, luxurious haven awaited guests. Champagne flowed, delicate desserts were laid out, and a stunning photo wall, crafted in Paris, beckoned visitors to step into the world of Dior. The wall, titled “Curiosités de la Mer,” was a work of art by Italian artist Pietro Ruffo, evoking the beauty of the seabed with its depiction of colorful seaweed, algae, and a starfish. It served as a fitting backdrop for the evening’s celebration, inviting guests to embrace “the magic of dreams and the splendor of nature.”
The guest list was a veritable who’s who of Mumbai’s elite, including actor Vijay Varma, content creator and entrepreneur Diipa Büller-Khosla, and Vogue India’s Head of Editorial Content Rochelle Pinto. The air hummed with anticipation as high-net-worth individuals from across the country, including Lata Patel, Samreen Kaur, Swapna Joshi, Madhu Shah, and Jaya Raheja, arrived, their presence adding to the evening’s palpable excitement. But the real star of the show was the Cruise 2025 collection itself. Despite being launched in the heart of a vibrant, chaotic Indian city, the collection transported everyone to the lush green mountains and deep blue seas of Scotland. Inspired by the iconic Mary Stuart, the collection reinvented the look of the visionary sovereign, weaving together Scottish craft traditions with distinctly modern punk elements. The signature Dior minimalism was still present, evident in the collection’s simple, clean cuts.
Unveiled earlier this year in the fairytale setting of Scotland’s Drummond Castle Gardens, the Cruise 2025 collection presented a range of silhouettes from romantic to punk. Dresses with accentuated shoulders, intricately embroidered knitwear, sculpted corset armor, and symbols of Scotland – unicorns and thistles – were a feast for the eyes. The collection showcased a masterful merging of disparate materials, pairing delicate lace and velvet with sportswear, cotton, and wool fabrics. Tweed sets, Argyle motifs, kilts, and tartan patterns paid homage to Scotland’s rich textile and fashion history.
For Maria Grazia Chiuri, Dior’s first female creative director, it was crucial that the collection’s looks and accessories conveyed a “powerful, impetuous femininity.” The leather riding boots, worn with high socks, were a fierce statement, adorned with zips and multiple straps, described by fashion editor Samantha Conti as “fit for battle.” Bold, chunky pendants with marine motifs, reminiscent of Scotland’s dramatic coastline, were the highlight of the chokers, while the bags’ shoulder straps were adorned with heraldic symbols, celebrating both the House of Dior and Scotland. The collection also brought back Dior’s iconic saddle bags, the kidney-shaped bags that gained immense popularity after being featured on Sex and the City’s Carrie Bradshaw. Since then, the saddle bag has become an “it bag,” seen on style icons like Paris Hilton and Beyoncé. In the Cruise 2025 collection, the saddle bags adhered to the collection’s punk theme, featuring basic shades, clean minimalist designs, and bold silver borders or skillfully perforated craters.
The guests at the launch, adorned in elegant, often monochromatic looks, added a vibrant energy to the Jio World Plaza. They cheerfully ambled around the Dior boutique, eagerly exploring the new collection, trying on jewelry and shoes, and admiring the timeless elegance of the House’s classics. Champagne glasses were continually refilled, and in one of the fitting rooms, a secretive tarot reading was taking place. Alongside the Cruise 2025 collection, the Dior Men’s collection by Kim Jones was also on display, showcasing a range of pants, shirts, accessories, and footwear. Chunky, platformed slides for men – denim, monogrammed, and crafted from various materials – filled a dedicated shelf. Actor Vijay Varma, a stylish presence at the event, sported a theatrical, single-breasted suit from Kim Jones’ Ready to Wear Winter 2024 collection. The suit, with its earthy brown hue, tasseled sleeves, and gently flared trousers, exuded a timeless elegance reminiscent of the 60s and 70s. Varma, effortlessly suave, posed against the “Curiosités de la Mer” wall art, his pearl brooch, showcasing the initials CD, catching everyone’s eye. The brooch, featuring a gold-finish safety pin and three white crystal pearls hanging like droplets, stood out beautifully against his solid-coloured, high-collared shirt. As Varma laughed with guests, the sun began to set outside, and Mumbai’s rush hour traffic commenced. The honking of buses, the bickering of drivers, and the screeching of brakes filled the air outside. But inside the Dior boutique, guests were completely immersed in the Dior universe, enveloped by relaxing, muted tones and a playful rebellion of black. Within the walls of the Dior store in Jio World Plaza, they had been transported to the breezy, picturesque castles of Scotland, experiencing the magic of Dior’s latest creation.
