Mumbai-based artist Rithika Merchant shines at Dior show in Paris: It’s surreal to see my work this big

When fashion designer Maria Grazia Chiuri took the helm at Dior nearly a decade ago, she made her priorities clear. She would champion women. Not just in the garments she designed, but in the voices she amplified, the narratives she centred and the spaces she built.

From artist Judy Chicago’s monumental goddess temple to artist Mickalene Thomas’ unapologetic portraits of Black womanhood, Chiuri has enlisted female artists to shape the visual lexicon of her shows.

For the Spring/Summer 2025 haute couture collection at the Paris Fashion Week, the house turned to Mumbai-based artist Rithika Merchant, known for her dreamy portrayals of myth and nature.

The show, held in a temporary space at the Musée Rodin in Paris, France, featured Merchant’s vibrant paintings, which were transformed into large embroidered tapestries by artisans from the Chanakya School of Craft. The result was an immersive tribute to women’s stories across time.

Their partnership began in 2023 when Merchant attended Dior’s pre-fall show in Mumbai and was later introduced her to Chiuri.

A story woven in thread

Merchant’s installation, The Flowers We Grew, was inspired by stories passed down by the women in her family. “I come from a long line of wild, fierce, and powerful matriarchs,” she says in a conversation with us. Her mother’s family is from Kerala, and she filled the space with symbols from the region — jackfruit trees, pepper vines, banana leaves — each one tied to memories and traditions.

When asked about particular symbols or stories she wanted this installation to convey, she says, "I used the three walls to tell a story, through nine paintings." She explains how the middle wall, from which models emerged, represented the present.

One side told the stories of the past, while the other imagined a future led by strong women.

“I’ve always loved tapestries, especially those that tell stories,” she says. She sees embroidery, quilting, and weaving as art forms that have long belonged to women—ways of taking simple materials and turning them into something meaningful.

That made her partnership with Chanakya School of Craft feel natural. The artisans carefully recreated her paintings stitch by stitch, using thousands of hours of embroidery. “Seeing them interpret my work this way has been amazing,” she says.

A Dior dream

Chiuri’s collection, like Merchant’s art, explored memory and imagination. “Both the collection and my work are about creating a wonderland you can step into. It’s surreal to see my work this big," says Merchant.

This installation will remain open to the public till February 2 at Musee Rodin Paris.