Dior's Cruise 2026 collection, unveiled in Rome, is a poetic fusion of fashion, memory, and imagination. Creative Director Maria Grazia Chiuri draws inspiration from the Eternal City’s rich cultural tapestry – cinema, theatre, art and fashion – reinterpreting its mythology through a deeply personal and imaginative lens.

The collection is sparked by Chiuri’s encounter with Mimì Pecci-Blunt, an iconic figure of 20th-century Rome, Paris and New York. Her legendary Bal de l’Imagination becomes the central motif – a space where fantasy blurs with memory and creativity defies convention. Disguise and transformation become acts of liberation, evoking both playful theatrics and intimate reflection.

Garments blend historical references with modern silhouettes. Men’s vests with sharp lapels are paired with flowing skirts and tailcoats, while lace dresses and bas-relief textures nod to classical elegance. Military jackets, chasuble-inspired gowns, and black-and-red velvet mini dresses pay homage to Italian couture heritage, notably the Fontana sisters and La Dolce Vita.

The palette, anchored in luminous whites and accented by rich gold, black and crimson, evokes a dreamlike procession – each piece a character in Chiuri’s narrative of Rome. The collection becomes a farandole of ideas, celebrating artistic hybridity and timeless femininity through a lens of magical realism.