Dior's Cruise 2020 Show in Marrakech Blends African Craft with French Couture

Maria Grazia Chiuri presented Dior's Cruise 2020 collection on April 30 at the El Badi Palace in Marrakech, Morocco, opening the cruise season with a show that integrated African artisanal traditions. The event, attended by 800 guests, marked Dior as the first brand to stage a show in the first African city named Capital of Culture 2020. Chiuri collaborated with anthropologist Anne Grosfilley, designer Pathé Ouédraogo, and the association Sumano to involve local artisans such as Uniwax, which produces wax fabrics in Ivory Coast. The collection featured over 100 looks, including reinterpretations of the Bar jacket by Mickalene Thomas and Grace Wales Bonner. Chiuri also used the show to address feminist and anti-racist themes, with T-shirts bearing quotes from Tahar Ben Jelloun and inspiration from Naomi Zack's writings. The cruise shows, which occur in exotic locations, generate significant media attention and revenue, operating outside traditional seasonal constraints. Dior's CEO Pietro Beccari supported the creative vision. Actress Shailene Woodley attended as a guest.