The photographer capturing Dior’s female empowerment collection
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Mexico City - Italian fashion designer Maria Grazia Chiuri approached Dior’s 2019 cruise collection with a whole new concept: The strength, elegance and determination of the Dior woman this year was inspired in a culture that’s not European. Instead, it was inspired by the escaramuzas - female horse riders taking part in the traditional Mexican rodeo known as charrería.
Taking place one a throughout Mexico, Charreada is the national day of the charro - the traditional Mexican horse riders. The show caught Chiuri’s eye, and the strength of the escaramuzas, along with their traditional attires of large skirts, intense colors, detailed embroidery, and big hats became an inspiration for the Parisian company.
In addition to the symbolic elements of the escaramuzas’ clothing, Dior’s 2019 collection also recognized other Mexican women who stand out in their respective professions. To do so, the project “From Mexico to Dior” was created, and eight women photographers were contacted for a shoot of the collection across historic locations in Mexico, a country that fascinated Christian Dior. The photographers Maya Goded, Paola Vivas, Flor Garduño, Cristina de Middel, Pia Elizondo, Tania Franco Klein, Fabiola Zamora and Ruth Prieto Arenas were assigned a location where they could work freely and capture the communion between the high fashion clothes and the iconic architecture of the country. The places chosen by Dior to photograph their contemporary escaramuzas were: Cuadra San Cristóbal by the famous architect Luis Barragán, Palacio de Iturbide and the streets of San Ángel and Tizapán.
Behind Paola Vivas’s camera
In an interview with FashionUnited, Paola Vivas expressed that this experience had been key in her professional development, since she was able to mix her profession with the female empowerment concept behind Dior’s collection, and one of her favorite spots in the country.
Paola was born and raised in southern Mexico and is currently living on and off between Mexico City and London. She studied Fashion Photography at the University of Arts London, and she has focused a strong part of her work in the delicacy of the female body. Paola’s photographs for Dior were taken at the Cuadra San Cristóbal, a place that, according to the photographer, happens to be one of her favorite spots in Mexico because of her strong connection with the equestrian world.
What was the idea behind this project?
The purpose was to create a portfolio of six to eight Mexican photographers that would capture Dior’s latest collection, inspired in the escaramuzas, Mexican cowgirls. The idea was to promote awareness of the Mexican culture, of local photography and of the talent national women have. All of this related to Dior’s latest collection and the brand’s artistic director’s fascination for Mexico.
What was the concept of your shoot? What did you want to showcase through your images?
I think that I mostly wanted to transmit Marianza Zaragoza’s [the model] strength in my pictures. I also wanted to beautifully portray the amazing architecture of the place (Cuadra San Cristóbal) in a different way from other projects that have been taken here before. I was looking for an organic point of view.
What was the most challenging part of the shoot?
I think that it was the production which made me feel most nervous, especially before I arrived on the set. I’m a bit of a control freak, but mostly in my head, not in the way I relate to other people. I like to be in control of what I want to accomplish, so I plan ahead a lot. In this particular case I wasn’t in the country, but luckily I had already been in the location, so I knew what to expect. However, it’s always challenging to work with a team that’s one hundred percent new, people you’ve never worked with before. Even though I was nervous about not knowing how the day would turn out, the production team made sure the flow was perfect and all my concerns were left behind. The support of the team was amazing.
What’s your vision of the escaramuzas?
I believe that the Adelitas [another name for the escaramuzas] reflect Mexican women perfectly. They demonstrate their courage, enthusiasm and passion.
What’s your best memory of this experience?
Professionally speaking it was a big challenge, but completing it was very gratifying. This has been my biggest production on set ever, and it was mentally defying, so having being able to deliver and being happy with the results is a very beautiful feeling.
What does it mean to you to be part of a project that highlights the Mexican culture?
I feel very proud, especially because I’m a Mexican woman that lives away from my country, so just being chosen fills me with pride. I also feel great to be able to share this with other Mexican women.
Which was your favorite picture, and what message does it intend to transmit?
(The principal photography) I believe it reflects the bond of trust and involvement there must be between the escaramuza and her horse.
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Photo credit: Dior’s photography by www.paola-vivas.com