Christian Dior Spring/Summer 2014

The past few seasons at Dior have proved that Raf Simons is not concentrated on re-creating or re-inventing silhouettes but instead, he has focused his attention the way in which the silhouettes are constructed.

As opposed to his last few collections both at Jil Sander and Christian Dior, this collection was much less refined and bearing the bones of the industry. This was both present in his set, decadent flowers hung from the ceiling and peaking through a builders scaffold, as well as his garments which contained unconventional cutting techniques and embellishments. Through the simple process of cutting in a different manner, Simons' was able to transform a traditional centred keyhole into a much less imposing ornamentation on a dress. It was clear that Simons' drew inspiration from his early 2000 menswear collections under his own brand, paying homage to his obsession with military uniformity. There was a feeling of unity and totality within the collection.

However some of the fabrics used lacked movement and thus, an understanding of the characteristics of the fabric themselves. This was interesting as his last few seasons, particularly the Spring 2013 collection, showcased beautifully draped metallic organza which moved down the runway in a way which broke the structural limits of such a textile. Simons is a designer who understands the importance of textiles - their strengths and limitations and so it was strange that he would make such a rookie mistake which left some of the models awkwardly shuffling down the runway.

The palette of Dior this season was much less ethereal as it was characterised by a much bolder and strengthened assertion on the audience, rather than dissipating into the grand scheme of things. Simons' is finally starting to assert his chosen identity for the brand of Christian Dior, rather than concerning himself with paying an homage to the past. Dior will only continue to progress forward as a more united distinction and assertion.

While the collection was easy on the eye, one thing that has proved to be a rather arduous task during Raf Simons' reign at Christian Dior is the casting of models in the runway shows. Strangely enough Christian Dior was not named and shamed in the letter that the Diversity coalition penned in regards to the Paris womenswear show, however Christian Dior does indeed appear on the Paris list published on the website.

6 models of colour and Asian descent is not deserving of the title of a diverse casting of models. This act by the casting director, creative director and the brand of Christian Dior, no matter what the intention, is racist and more importantly ignorant. There is no diversity that exists within showcasing one model of colour followed by 10 or so Caucasian models and one Asian model followed by another 10 or so Caucasian models and so forth. It is nonsensical to claim this cast as being diverse simply because of the presence of 6 models of Asian descent or models of colour as opposed to having none. It simply showed a lack of awareness and ignorance.

Images from style.com. View the full collection here.