Maria Grazia Chiuri Has Been Awarded France's Legion D'Honneur

Last night, Maria Grazia Chiuri was awarded the Legion d'Honneur, France's highest civilian distinction. The first female creative director of Dior exclaimed that she "couldn't believe it" as she accepted the honour at the fashion house's headquarters, 30 Avenue Montaigne, in Paris.

The reception took place at the same location and not long after Dior's autumn/winter 2019 couture show – and was attended by a number of well-known industry faces, including Alber Elbaz, Valentino Garavani, numerous fashion editors and members of Chiuri's own family. The designer was handed the honour by France's gender equality minister, Marlène Schiappa, who praised Chuiri for her use of feminism and activism in her work.

When accepting the honour, Chuiri spoke directly to young women who might be worried about their professional futures.

'I would like to send them a message to believe in themselves and follow their instincts,' she said.

'Dior is a maison that represents femininity and for this reason I believe that my commitment is to make women aware of their potential, and I thank the maison that supports me and gives a voice to women and their work. Their commitment can change the world.'