Dior Heads to Scotland for Cruise 2025 Collection – V Magazine

Maria Grazia Chiuri has just unveiled Dior’s Cruise 2025 collection in the lusciously green gardens of Drummond Castle in Edinburgh. Prioritizing Scotland’s textile traditions and intricate needlework, the house’s latest collection embodies the personality and authority of Mary, Queen of Scots, who ruled from 1542 to 1567.

For anyone wondering what Dior’s connection with Scotland is, legend has it that the house and country have always had a solid relationship that dates back to Dior’s 1947 Autumn-Winter collection—when Christian Dior named his haute couture ensemble “Écosse.” This bond was further strengthened in 1951 when Dior debuted its spring-summer line in Perthshire. These historical ties were celebrated again in 1960 with a fundraising show at Scone Palace. 

Each look in the collection is a study of contrast. Fabrics like velvet and lace are combined in original ways, with wool dresses paired with tailored jackets and coats. These pieces borrow from the rigorous structuring of men’s tailoring, yet, are distinctly feminine. To further represent Scottish culture, tartan plays a significant role in shaping the collection, with several outfits styling the famous plaid fabric into statement dresses, blazers, overcoats, skirts, corsets, and more.

The collection highlights elements of red and black leather along with a couple of multi-colored bodices with characterizing motifs. Inscribed on two of the bodices are personality traits deemed feminine, like the words “fierce,” “bossy,” and “emotional.” Inspired by Clare Hunter’s works, “Threads of Life” and “Embroidering her Truth: Mary, Queen of Scots and the Language of Power,” Chiuri uses Hunter’s texts to portray a modernized form of female resilience and equality.