Israeli Choreographer's Dancers Help Dior Kick Off Paris Fashion Week

Maria Grazia Chiuri, head designer at Christian Dior and the first woman to hold that position, built on the theme of female empowerment that she has highlighted at Dior, kicking off Paris Fashion Week on Monday.

At the famed Longchamp racecourse in Paris' Bois de Boulogne, Chiuri placed strong feminist women at the front of her collection once more, launching her spring-summer 2019 offering.

This time, the inspiration was dancers and choreographers from different places and eras, including the German Pina Bausch (who died in 2009), Americans Isadora Duncan and Martha Graham, and a current choreographer, Sharon Eyal. The Israeli created a piece for the show performed by dancers from the L-E-V ensemble she leads with her partner Gai Behar.

The male and female dancers moved among the models wearing tights and bodysuits designed for them by Dior, as confetti streamed from the ceiling. The well-received collection made its way through inspirations from the world of dance and movement, and included skirts and dresses adorned with powdery shades of tulle and sandals featuring lots of ribbon.

Chiuri emphasizes comfort and mobility, and the dresses were accordingly light and without restrictive corsets.