Dior Launches Radical Collection Based On Anne Grosfilley’s Book
Dior – One of the key elements in Christian Dior’s Marrakech cruise show was the innovative use of wax printed fabrics in the collection. Dior’s designer Maria Grazia Chiuri first got the idea after reading Wax & Co, a brilliant history of the material written by Anne Grosfilley. And today, Best Design Books is going to show you everything: A doctor of anthropology, Grosfilley is a specialist in African textiles and fashions and a noted curator. Grosfilley has published, among other works, African Wax Print Textiles (Edisud, 2004), Textiles d’Afrique, entre tradition et modernité (Point de vues, 2006), L’abécédaire du wax (Grandir, 2015), and Wax, 500 tissus (La Martinière, 2019), due out later this month. Grosfilley offers the fruits of her own passionate research as she profiles a variety of individuals from rural venders to trendsetting fashionistas. This eye-opening study celebrates the enormous variety of African fabric styles and uses, and explores the complex interconnections between the continent and colonialism and between modern technology and Old World practices. Thanks to Grosfilley, Chiuri was able to connect with authentic wax printers in Africa. The pair traveled together to Abidjan, on the Ivory Coast, where the French author introduced the Italian designer to Jean-Louis Menudier and Uniwax, the only company that…
