Dior Transforms Mumbai’s Gateway of India into Fashion Ramp

Models present creations from Christian Dior's Fall 2023 collection during a fashion show in Mumbai on March 30, 2023. (AFP)
Models present creations from Christian Dior's Fall 2023 collection during a fashion show in Mumbai on March 30, 2023. (AFP)
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Dior Transforms Mumbai’s Gateway of India into Fashion Ramp

Models present creations from Christian Dior's Fall 2023 collection during a fashion show in Mumbai on March 30, 2023. (AFP)
Models present creations from Christian Dior's Fall 2023 collection during a fashion show in Mumbai on March 30, 2023. (AFP)

In a glittering splash of luxury fashion, Dior transformed Mumbai’s grand, historic Gateway of India monument into a runway laden with celebrity, beauty and craftsmanship.

Flanked by the brightly lit, iconic Taj Mahal Palace hotel, the spectacular decor turned the heritage site in India’s entertainment and business capital into a blend of color and style as the models lined up Thursday to showcase the Paris fashion house's 2023 pre-fall collection.

The runway, lined with traditional Indian floral designs, reverberated with fusion beats from live musicians as Indian artistry and craftsmanship took center stage in creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri’s collection.

The lineup featured silk dresses, evening coats and sari-inspired skirts that referenced traditional Indian silhouettes. The show opened with an array of neutrals, subtly transitioning to forest green before giving way to a blaze of bright colors and patterns. Throughout it all, most of the models sported strings of pearls wound around their necks.

“I personally wanted to celebrate and showcase the incredible knowledge India offers to the international world of fashion in the field of embroidery, the mastery of the artisans who continue to work on this craft, and the commitment of Chanakya’s founders to preserving India’s history and culture, portrayed by each embroidery technique,” Chiuri said in an Instagram post.

Dior has had a long association with India through the Mumbai-based atelier Chanakya, which works with artisans and underprivileged women. The show brought the spotlight back on India’s luxury fashion market where major Western fashion brands like Pierre Cardin, Yves Saint Laurent and Valentino have presented their collections in the past.

India, now the world’s fifth-largest economy, has always been known for its intricate embroidery art, opulent textiles and embellishments. With a young and aspirational middle class that has easy access to internet — and a rising number of uber-rich — it is fast emerging as a key consumer market for international fashion labels.

Many Indian designers have also opened stores in the global fashion capitals like New York and Dubai and have been showcasing their collections during international fashion weeks.

To flesh out the guest list, Dior drew on a range of A-list invitees from India and elsewhere. Bollywood actors in attendance included the legendary Rekha, fashion icon Sonam Kapoor Ahuja and Anushka Sharma, accompanied by her husband, Indian cricketer Virat Kohli.

Western celebrities of Indian origin or descent — like Freida Pinto, Simone Ashley of “Bridgerton”, sitarist Anoushka Shankar and Vanity Fair editor-in-chief Radhika Jones — took in the show. Other guests included actor Maisie Williams from “Game of Thrones” and Thai actors Mile and Apo from “KinnPorsche.”



LVMH Posts 3% Drop in Sales as Core Business Slumps

The logo of LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton is seen in front of the LVMH luxury group headquarters in Paris, France, April 14, 2025. (Reuters)
The logo of LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton is seen in front of the LVMH luxury group headquarters in Paris, France, April 14, 2025. (Reuters)
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LVMH Posts 3% Drop in Sales as Core Business Slumps

The logo of LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton is seen in front of the LVMH luxury group headquarters in Paris, France, April 14, 2025. (Reuters)
The logo of LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton is seen in front of the LVMH luxury group headquarters in Paris, France, April 14, 2025. (Reuters)

LVMH, the world's largest luxury group, said on Monday sales fell 3% over the first quarter, missing expectations and confirming a sector slowdown as shoppers held back on purchases of designer fashion in a choppy economic environment.

The French company behind high-end labels including fashion houses Louis Vuitton and Dior, jewellery brand Bulgari and Hennessy cognac, reported sales for the three months to the end of March of 20.3 billion euros ($23.08 billion).

The result compares with 1% growth in the fourth quarter and analyst expectations for 2% growth in the first quarter of 2025, according to a VisibleAlpha consensus estimates.

The fashion and leather goods division, home to Louis Vuitton and Dior and accounting for nearly half of group sales and over three quarters of operating profit, posted a 5% fall in sales, well below expectations for a flat performance.

LVMH said fashion and leather goods sales saw a "slight decline" in the US while Japan was weaker than the comparable quarter a year ago when Chinese led growth in spending there.

Europe's luxury players were counting on wealthy Americans to reignite growth for the sector at the start of this year as the outlook for China, another crucial market, remained bleak.

But as fears of a US recession are on the rise after President Donald Trump's recent tariff announcements sent stock markets and the dollar plunging, the sector is bracing for what could be its longest slump in years.

The luxury sector, selling prized items to rich shoppers at high margins, is better positioned than other industries to use its pricing power to shield profits against Trump's tariffs, which would include a 20% charge on European fashion and leather goods and 31% for Swiss-produced watches if fully applied.

Last week, Trump paused most of his tariffs for 90 days, setting a general 10% duty rate instead.