Models, dwarfed by the stunning backdrop of the Giza Pyramids, showcased Dior’s fall men’s collection.

Egyptologist and former minister of antiquities Zahi Hawass, Naomi Campbell, Lewis Hamilton, Robert Pattinson and K-pop star Cha Eun Woo were among the 800 guests attending the show which took place after sunset. They sat mesmerised, facing the Giza Pyramids which were outlined in dramatic white light against a star-studded sky.

Christian Dior Couture Chairman and CEO Pietro Beccari told Vogue magazine that the selection of the Giza Pyramids to stage the fall men’s collection was the choice of artistic director Kim Jones.

“He expressed his desire to come here two and a half years ago,” Beccari told Vogue.

“This year he did a trilogy: an homage to Dior with the Pont Alexandre III for Autumn/Winter 2022; his origins and love of gardening in Granville for Spring/Summer 2023; and now astrology, and the Pyramids. It is not a show background, but rather the ultimate essence of Egyptians’ astrological expertise and the mysterious Egyptian culture.”

Christian Dior visited Egypt in 1956, according to Beccari.

“My interest in ancient Egypt is about the stars and the sky. It’s that fascination with the ancient world and the parallels with what we look at today, what we inherited from them and what we are still learning from the past. It links to Christian Dior in that sense, and to the symbols and superstitions that recurred throughout his life and work, one of which is the star. In both the collection and the show there is an idea of being guided by the stars and what that can entail. It’s about how the past shapes the future, or an idea of the future shapes the past,” said Jones.

The day before the fashion show, Dior unveiled a capsule collection designed in collaboration with Denim Tears’ creative director Tremaine Emory at the Grand Egyptian Museum.

Zahi Hawass said the celebration offered a valuable opportunity to highlight the diversity of Egypt’s tourist destinations.

Amr Al-Kadi, CEO of Egypt Tourism Authority (ETA), told Al-Ahram Weekly that the event was held within the framework of the ministry’s new branding strategy which is being overseen by a British-Canadian consortium and aims to show potential visitors the diversity of experiences that Egypt has to offer. One trip is not enough, runs the sales pitch, to experience Egypt’s magnificent monuments and archaeological sites and its contemporary culture, including arts, film, music, and fashion.

The strategy aims to foreground Egypt’s creative spirit and position Egypt as a year-round destination blessed with wonderful weather.

“This has been implemented through organising and hosting diverse events in Egypt, among them the Ely Saab fashion show held in Abdine Palace. The Italian fashion house Stefano Ricci celebrated its golden jubilee at Hatshepsut Temple in Luxor and now Christian Dior is at the Giza Pyramids,” said Al-Kadi.

The Dior show was broadcast live on ETA’s social media platforms.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 8 December, 2022 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly