At the Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve in Calabasas, Document traveled West to experience Maria Grazia Chiuri’s emotional Resort 2018 collection for Dior. Tucked into the Santa Monica Mountains—an ocean away from its normal grounds—the intent was to reckon the house’s undeniably feminine point of view with the not-so-obvious setting of the California desert, a locale that seemed, at first, more postcard than Paris. In the sparse, sandy terrain, spiritual inflection ensued. As it turns out, this connection was considerably important given Christian Dior’s own love affair with the coast, which Chiuri referenced in brilliant ankle-hovering fringed skirts and westerner-style suede jackets adorned by equestrian-esque leathers and lace-up boots. Monsieur Dior’s 1951 Lascaux collection was re-seen as archival sketches of France’s southwestern caves—also brought to life in Werner Herzog’s “The Cave Of Forgotten Dreams”—were replicated onto silk and raffia jacquard. If the balloon-filled, sunset background didn’t hint enough at the designer’s affinity for Georgia O’Keeffe, Stephen Jones offered parson’s hats—the artist’s chosen accessory—topped each look’s invitation into this world.

Photographed by Antoine Spignardo.