In what could only described as a magnificent presentation, French luxury house Dior unveiled it’s 2020 Cruise Collection in the Moroccan city of Marrakech. The countdown, lead-up events and the presentations were well-documented and with a media presence that is expected of a luxury giant like Dior.
The collection’s release – the collection itself an attempt at globalization, ‘cultural appreciation’ and a celebration of ‘African fashion’ -triggered conversations between as well as a flurry of questions from African fashion industry leaders which could be summarized with one word. Why?
Why did a French luxury brand feel the need to have an African inspired collection? Why the intellectual laziness that causes The West to reference to Africa – a continent of fifty-four countries and more diverse cultures than there are colours in the world- as though it is one country with one culture and monolithic fashion industry? Why did fashion influencer and digital journalist Susie Lau sound like Africans should be grateful that Dior’s creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri didn’t just go to Marrakech, mine a few YSL/Dior references and called it a day? Why was Morocco referred to as the leading country of fashion in Africa?
Following the conversations had on and beyond social media, model and film maker Adesuwa Aighewi shared a video on Instagram where she has a conversation with Maria Grazia Churi, creative director of Dior, and we get to hear from the creative director herself on why the brand went the direction it did.