Just before the show began, there was a visible fog in the Dior FW17 show space, and out of the fog, walked the first model with a black leather beret and an all-black ensemble. The rhythmic beat of the music, coupled with the mysterious melody that was probably mixed on a synthesiser, this set the tone for what was to come. And here begins my thought process as I was watching the show unfold before my very eyes…

After a couple of models, it was quite evident that Maria was using a very dark colour palette – mostly black, with darker shades of blues that ranged from navy, to midnight. And then there was also something about the way the models were strutting, that suggested a very regimented military vibe. Most models have their own signature walk, but somehow, with the mysterious soundtrack  with the steady rhythm, their walk was downplayed, and it seemed as if all the models pretty much strutted with military-like precision. I thought Maria could be suggesting the theme of espionage, and that these women were actually her undercover spies — they displayed femininity, yet they were still tough at the same time, providing the perfect foil to their identity because one can never be too sure whether they were, or weren’t, due to this air of confidence and nonchalance that they all exuded. I kept trying to pinpoint what it was.. and finally, my moment of clarity came, when they all filed during the finale, that everything clicked. These women weren’t actually spies because the black berets signified something more: black berets were also part of the uniform that women soldiers wore during the 1970s. At this point, I realised that Maria was indeed building her women’s army, and this deployment of her troops was Phase 2 of her Dio(R)evolution. 

P.S. If you missed the show, you can watch the FULL show right here via the on-demand video service, and stay tuned for my Dior FW17 bags report to come!

Images via Vogue Runway