DIOR FROM SKETCH TO SCREEN

Paris Couture Week kicks off today with an online showcase instead of the usual lavish shows held across the French capital. Even if this could be a strong season in terms of creativity, because everyone is trying to find solutions, I think it won’t have the same splendor as a normal haute couture fashion week,

Virginie Viard, artistic director of Chanel, produced 30 dresses this season instead of the usual 70. The collection of exclusive made-to-measure creations will be unveiled online at midday today, and Chanel will host private appointments with some clients in Paris.

Maria Grazia Chiuri, artistic director of women’s haute couture, ready-to-wear and accessory collections at Dior, said digital formats should not attempt to mimic the feel of a fashion show.

The house has tapped Italian director Matteo Garrone, known for his hard-hitting mafia thriller Gomorrah; and his recent adaptation of;Pinocchio," to direct a short film described as a fairy-tale celebration of the ateliers and their excellence of savoir-faire; which will be unveiled exclusively on dior.com on Monday at 2:30 p.m. Paris time.