At Dior, Maria Grazia Chiuri riffs on ruffs, history and gender-bending elegance

PARIS (AP) - The past and present collided in a dreamlike spectacle at Dior's fall 2025 show in Paris, where Maria Grazia Chiuri riffed on ruffs - both literally and literarily.

Inspired by Orlando, Virginia Woolf's time- and gender-traveling protagonist, the ready-to-wear collection spun historical silhouettes into a vision of fluid, ever-evolving femininity. If this is indeed one of Chiuri's last collections, as rumors suggest, she's leaving on a high.

Absolute mayhem erupted when Jisoo arrived. The K-pop megastar and Dior ambassador was mobbed the second she stepped into the Tuileries annex, setting off a full-blown fan riot.

Security scrambled, screams pierced the air, and for a moment the flashing cameras threatened to turn the fashion show into a concert. Inside, once the commotion settled, Natalie Portman, Elle Macpherson, and Isabelle Adjani took their seats, watching as giant volcanic rocks descended from the ceiling, transforming the venue into something raw, primal and unexpected.

Chiuri has always played with history but this season she made it more dynamic. The white shirt, one of her enduring signatures, reappeared, this time with dramatic, removable ruffs, an explicit nod to Orlando that gave wearers the power to shift between past and present.

From there, things took a more unexpected turn. Billowing pirate-style pantaloons, trailing lace scarves and severe ecclesiastical coats lined with tulle set a moody, gothic tone. Fur-like collars and exaggerated ruffs heightened the drama, while knee-high socks with leather shoes grounded the look in something tougher, more pragmatic.

The interplay of structure and fluidity was key. Black velvet ribbons tied with baroque pearls mimicked dematerialized crinolines, while intricate cut-out and appliqué embroidery clashed against sleek technical outerwear. Bustiers over masculine jackets continued Chiuri's quiet rebellion against traditional power dressing and the tailcoat's return added another element of historical play.

Then came the day's biggest throwback: the 'J'adore Dior' T-shirt, a Galliano-era relic, made its return - this time on a model who looked particularly miserable. Was this intentional artistic direction, a comment on nostalgia, or just an unfortunate accident? The jury's out.

Chiuri's feminism is nothing new but this season it felt sharper. From Diana the Huntress to Joan of Arc, she has always championed women who wield power on their own terms.

Here, she let the clothes do more of the talking - gender-bending silhouettes, the subtle subversion of historical formality, the tension between softness and structure.

Unlike past Dior creative directors - John Galliano's theatrical excess, Raf Simons's cerebral minimalism - Chiuri has never been one for shock value. But this collection had something more: flair and edge, a knowing wink to the past but with enough bite to feel modern.

The show's staging felt like a primal act of creation. Smoke billowed from the ground, giant crystals jutted up from the floor and volcanic rocks loomed above, as if the entire scene was an ancient landscape caught mid-formation. It was a radical shift from the dreamy, overtly feminine backdrops often accompanying Chiuri's collections - this felt raw, unsettled, even a little dangerous.

Inside the venue, the clothes weren't the only topic of conversation. The real buzz was whether Chiuri was imminently exiting the LVMH-owned maison.

The soundtrack's refrain, "Once upon a time, if I had but time," felt like an unsubtle nod to the speculation. Was this her ready-to-wear swansong for Dior? Many were convinced.

Meanwhile, fashion insiders were already looking ahead. It's been called fashion's worst-kept secret that Loewe's Jonathan Anderson is set to take over, not just for women's, but possibly for both men's and women's lines, an unprecedented move that could reshape Dior's entire creative direction.