Everything you need to know about Dior Cruise 2017

May 31st, 2016, late afternoon. Under a grey and rainy sky, the Oxfordshire countryside welcomes a crowd of fashion insiders invited by Dior to attend the presentation of its Cruise 2017 collection.

In this royal location, the Parisian style meets the English one. Curious? Here's everything you need to know about yesterday’s event. 

Where

Blenheim Palace

Dior chose Blenheim Palace, which was home of the 12th Duke of Marlborough and birthplace of Winston Churchill, as the location for its latest collection. It is a comeback for the French company, which already in 1954 and then in 1958 chose this place not far from London to set to two big charity shows to support the British Red Cross in the presence of Princess Margaret.

This building of the 18th century, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987, is a masterpiece of Baroque architecture created by John Vanbrugh and is located in the heart of an area of 800 hectares that includes a park and beautiful gardens created by renowned landscape designer Lancelot Brown.

Who

Bella Hadid on Dior Cruise 2017 catwalk

Sitting in the library of Blenheim Palace, guests waited for the show to start. Arrived with the special Diorient Express, among them there were journalists, actresses, it-girls, bloggers, noble people and curious.

Some names? Emma Roberts, who narrated the event on Snapchat, Elizabeth Olsen, Kate Beckinsale, Vinyl's star Juno Temple and The Girlfriend Experience's one Riley Keough, Bianca Jagger, Alexa Chung, Erin O'Connor, Carine Roitfeld, The Weeknd, Susy Menkes. On the catwalk, Gigi's younger sister, Bella Hadid, stood out. She has just been named as Dior Make-up global ambassador.

What

Dior Cruise 2017

Raf Simons is gone and his role is vacant. While waiting for the appointment of a new creative director, the position is covered by Lucie Meier and Serge Ruffieux.

Not an easy task for this couple of designers. From here, probably, the choice to remain faithful to the House codes: Bar jackets, tailored white shirts, floral tea dresses, tweed, flare trousers.

The tradition is reworked with the eccentricities of the British style, a sort of classic Parisian style meets England. The women who inspired the collection are an expression of this duality: Monsieur Dior's muse, Mitzah Bricard, and writer Edith Sitwell.

The result is a refined mix of overlapping elements. Mixed prints, especially flowers and landscape subjects, and bright colours. Midi skirts under maxi blouses, mini skirts worn over pants, as well as night shirts.

Backstage

Tea Time at Blenheim Palace

The curtain on Dior's event opened up on Monday night with an exclusive dinner in Mayfair at the Audley pub, transformed for one evening into Lady Dior Pub. Kate Beckinsale, Elena Perminova, Kate Mara, Juno Temple, Emma Roberts, Chiara Ferragni, Caroline Issa, Suzy Menkes and many more were there.

The big day arrives. How to reach Blenheim Palace? Easy: boarding on the Diorient Express, that will take the guests from Victoria Station to the Oxfordshire. On board, catering for tea time, perfect subject for a shower of Instagram shots. Arrived at destination, bellboys waited for the guests along with some clothes from the '54 and '58 collections.

Three. Two. One. The show starts. Just another step of this incredible Dior experience. 

The question

Lucie Meier & Serge Ruffieux

Simons is out, who will be in? The latest rumours about the new creative director insinuate it will be a woman, the first to fill that position in the history of the House. Will this be true?