high fashion show Dior Spring Summer 2023 presented a special collection inspired by his inspiration. In fact, Maria Grazia Chiuri wanted to pay homage to the leading female figures in the African American community, in particular to a literally legendary character, an icon in that she is a revolutionary artist and activist: Josephine Baker, an American dancer who achieved success in Paris between the 1920s and 1930s due to her transgressive, innovative and, above all, free style. Very elegant and always glamorous, a distinctive detail of her image was tirabachi or baby hair, or that curl collected on the forehead, motionless in its perfection, which we find renewed in the fashion show of the French house.
Josephine was a diva who accompanied her artistic activity with political and social commitments: during the Second World War she was a counterintelligence agent. and used his fame and knowledge to fight important battles for the civil rights of African Americans, also supporting Martin Luther King.
The origin of the tirabachi and baby hair at the Dior fashion show
In truth, Baker did nothing but refine a practice that has been (and still is) fashionable in African culture since the early twentieth century to create his unique image, namely: model the so-called baby hair. This is very thin and short hair or even fluff that grows along the hairline. Despite the name, they characterize a person throughout his life, and not just in childhood and adolescence, and can be especially rebellious. Very often, especially in people with afro hair, they began to “get stuck” when natural curls were frowned upon and considered dirty (hair discrimination), eventually becoming an element of beauty and a hallmark of both Afro and Latin communities.
With the help of pastes, gels, brushes and precision combs, children’s hair is processed more or less creatively and obviously, even with rather complex designs, as we have seen in the past and with some artists such as Alicia Keys. However, for the haute couture show, Dior opted to focus on the elegant vintage effect, thus creating two simple frontal kisses on different hair types. Indeed it was done very brave choice: the risk of accusations of cultural appropriation is not far off, given that these looks are just typical of afroculture and applying them to white models with straight hair was certainly risky, especially in light of several style “thefts” over the years in terms of details and hairstyles that used to be frowned upon when worn by non-whites.
But the message Dior wanted to convey is that Josephine Baker was one of the twentieth century’s reference figures, not only for an ethnic group, but for women everywhere. Her determination and talent were the key to empowering herself and all of us. His beauty and strength they are and will be eternal inspirationfor all.
Source: Elle