Maria Grazia Chiuri: A fashion odyssey between Roman classics and contemporary glamour

Maria Grazia Chiuri paid homage to her native Rome with an almost all-white fashion show presented amid the majestic French gardens of Villa Albani Torlonia. The collection reflected her personal vision and aesthetic - a blend of emotion, heritage and refined elegance.Maria Grazia Chiuri closed her show with an impressive collection full of romance, personal references and cultural messages. Inspired by the novel La Bella Confusione, she created a fashion spectacle that combined history, emotion and style to provoke and inspire.


Dior - 2026 

You don't have to go all over Rome to feel its historical grandeur. Maria Grazia Chiuri pays tribute to the city's cultural influence, from the golden years of Dolce Vita and Cinecittà cinema, to the fashion glory of Valentino and Fendi, where she herself worked. She also draws inspiration from philanthropist Mimi Pecci-Blunt, with whom the designer and her daughter collaborated on the restoration of the historic Teatro di Cometa.It's no surprise that Maria Grazia Chiuri is inspired by Mimi Pecci-Blunt - like her, she is a strong supporter of women in arts and crafts. For the evening of the cruise show, Chiuri included a dance troupe dressed in white by Roman costume designers Toricelli, who presented a contemporary ballet inspired by the Commedia dell'Arte. The show referenced Mimi's iconic 1930 ‘Bal Blanc’ in Paris, where all the guests were dressed in white and photographed by Man Ray in a surrealist style.The show's first pieces are four elegant ensembles in double-faced cashmere - trousers and a tailcoat, made entirely by hand. ‘This is haute couture - the simplest is often the hardest to execute,’ says the designer. Next came a series of long, ethereal dresses with a myriad of lace effects: embossed flowers, net flounces, cut-out leaves, art deco motifs and gold fringe. The lingerie is visible and the shoes are flat, emphasizing the natural lightness of the look.

Dior - 2026

Maria Grazia Chiuri confidently revives the signature silhouette she has been building for Dior for almost a decade. It's a contribution with a strong signature, but other inspirations stand out among the models. Dress 63, with its sheer ruffled flounces, recalls a delicate nod to Valentino Garavani and his legendary 1968 ‘White Collection’ - a subtle gesture to fashion history and her personal legacy.In the midst of the show, a look inspired by the ‘conclave at the Vatican’ appeared - a short black coat with red buttons and shirts reminiscent of liturgical vestments. A reference to Mimi Pecci-Blunt's uncle, who was Pope, and her dedication to the arts even during World War II. The finale was a spectacle: gowns of divine radiance, gold velvet, pearls and perfect drapery. The simplicity of the draped gown that Maria Grazia Chiuri is obsessed with was revisited, moving away from the corseted silhouette of Christian Dior and following a freer path. A look reminiscent of a wrapped torso and she saves it for last. It's not a corset, it's armour. A Roman centurion who walks with a confident stride..