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The allure of India, and the Indian consumer, has never been greater. India’s number of ultra-high-net-worth (of $30 million or more) rose by 11 per cent between 2020 and 2021, according to real estate consultancy Knight Frank, and this growth is set to continue. Tonight’s Dior show, which will take place against the iconic backdrop of Mumbai’s Gateway of India monument, marks a historic moment of celebration of the country’s crafts, creativity and people.
Underpinning the show is a longstanding partnership between Dior and Indian crafts supplier Chanakya International, which is being celebrated in a new retrospective exhibition of their joint work. Tonight, torans (floral hangings) made by students of the Chanakya School of Craft, which was set up by Chanakya International in 2016 to preserve skills and empower women, will welcome guests arriving in the central square where the show takes place. Their handiwork will feature in the collection, in details such as the historical Indian decorative craft of chand jaal reinterpreted as a delicate French lace using fine gold and silver threads.
Dior creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri started her partnership with the Indian ateliers of Chanakya International over 20 years ago. Through multiple personal visits; trips to the Chanakya headquarters in Byculla, Mumbai; collaboratively launching the school; and opening an atelier in Bologna, Italy, Chiuri has helped Dior embed itself into the fabric of India, mapping out a unique and nuanced way of working with the country.
