Dior shows Maria Grazia Chiuri's cruise collection in Rome

Models strut past umbrella-clad guests on gravel runway in Rome

Models present creations by designer Maria Grazia Chiuri during the Christian Dior Cruise 2026 collection show at Villa Albani Torlonia in Rome, Italy, May 27, 2025. Photo: Reuters

French fashion house Dior showed creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri's cruise 2026 and fall-winter haute couture 2026 collections at a fashion show in the gardens of the Villa Albani Torlonia in Rome on Tuesday at night.

Guests sat under transparent umbrellas as models marched past on a gravel walkway lined with hedges. They paraded sheer gowns covered with lacework, textured dresses with rows of ruffles and long, tailored coats - mostly in white, ivory and nude colors. A sharp-shouldered trench coat, military jackets and tailcoats over skirts brought contrast to the airy looks, as did a few dresses in red or black velvet.

After the show, Chiuri rounded the gardens for her bow as the audience stood, cheering and clapping, while mist rose from the gardens.

The catwalk presentation, which drew on references to Italian cinema and theatre, follows last week's cruise fashion show from Louis Vuitton, another LVMH-owned label, in Avignon, France.

The shows come as the luxury industry grapples with a prolonged slump in business, and a number of high-end fashion labels are seeking new creative direction to reignite interest from shoppers.