Maria Grazia Chiuri fully blames a prejudice for that: “Someone still believes, firmly, that manual labour jobs are less valuable than concept work”. In the meantime, due to such prejudice, artisanship is at risk: in fact, in Italy, as much as in Mexico and India, fashion crafts are progressively disappearing. Not in France though, pointed out Dior fashion designer: in the French country, they are still able to valorise them.
Artisanship is at risk
That is why, illustrated Chiuri while talking to Le Figaro, the fashion show arranged by Dior, in Apulia, “aims at giving hope to ateliers, manufacturers, artisans and, in general, to fashion industry, heavily affected by the present crisis”. This location, then, conveys a message. Our choice is, “most of all, an opportunity to celebrate Apulia’s artisanship and traditions – confessed the fashion designer – I am sincerely close to. Local traditions in the area run the risk of disappearing forever”. Yet, it is not just a problem for Apulia anyway.
The importance of prejudices
Talking about crafts associated with fashion manufacturing, many of them are “traditionally carried out by women at home – explained Chiuri –. Therefore, they are a domestic activity, not an artistic job”. For the records, there is no social consideration for their role: no wonder, then, “these women do not believe that their work will be held in some esteem – she continued -. In other words, they do not think that their expertise should be passed down and will be possibly rewarded”. If we depict this scenario on a global scale, it turns out that “artisanship is still rather unappreciated: it is like that not only in Italy, but also in Mexico and India”. Are things like that everywhere? Not really: “France makes an exception – admitted the fashion designer –: French people are interested in art crafts, respect them, enshrine them in their culture and care about historic fashion houses’ heritage”.
Meanwhile, Covid-19
Not to mention, in the meantime, the pandemic outbreak, all of a sudden. “This unprecedented crisis – wrapped up Chiuri – will not modify my core values nor my attitude of mind. Yet, for sure, it is going to change my organization. However, I think I will not be able work in a different way, after forty years. I am not a digital designer: I am an artisan fashion designer. Of course I am able to adapt myself, if needs be, but in my opinion nothing can replace a real fashion show”.
Read also:
- Dior’s great rise, with a fashion show in Lecce and resisting CRV
- According to Chiuri and Toledano fashion shows will return, the web is a temporary remedy
