A homage to the infinite invention associated with ateliers of all kinds, the Dior Spring-Summer 2022 Haute Couture collection by Maria Grazia Chiuri looks to these places of experimentation and evolution as essential to collaboration and creation. Embroidery takes center stage, in more ways than one. The stunning scenography takes on the identity of a gallery, its walls covered in works by the Indian artists Madhvi and Manu Parekh, but instead of the original paintings, they have been reproduced as epic hand-embroideries, marking the House’s third collaboration with the embroiderers of the Chanakya School of Craft and the Chanakya atelier in Mumbai, India. Embroidery is not only the primary decorative focus of the collection itself, it becomes almost a fabric in its own right, giving a sense of structure to the clean lines and spare shapes, its architectural integrity further enhanced by the purity of the color palette. The collection features the involvement of an international roster of embroidery houses: Lesage, Vermont, Hurel, Lemarié, Safrane and Paloma (France), Jato (Italy), Chanakya (India). Mesh is a recurring element, interpreted in various forms and textures, while embroidered tights and draped bodysuits impart an unexpected energy alongside vaporous volumes, slinky lamé, and the strong focus on tailoring.