Maria Grazia Chiuri has chosen another historical residence with a spectacular garden for her upcoming Dior cruise show in Rome. 

After staging the annual display at Scotland’s picturesque Drummond Castle last year, she will unveil her cruise 2026 collection on May 27 at Villa Albani Torlonia, an 18th-century complex that houses a vast collection of Greek and Roman antiquities. 

Built by architect Carlo Marchionni on an expanse of countryside planted with vines and leveled into terraces, the villa was created to house the collection of Cardinal Alessandro Albani, a leading art patron of his day. 

The privately owned location remains something of a mystery even to locals, as it can only be visited by appointment and photography is prohibited. It has rarely been used for fashion events.

“This extraordinary villa, a secret treasure trove of ancient Roman wonders, will exceptionally — and for the first time — open its gates to host the Dior 2026 cruise show. The elegance of the silhouettes dreamed up by Maria Grazia Chiuri will shine within this outstanding cradle of neoclassicism,” Dior said in a statement on Wednesday.

Born and raised in the Eternal City, the designer spent her early career working for Rome-based brands Fendi and Valentino. Despite her formidable workload as Dior’s artistic director of women’s collections, Chiuri has also taken on a personal project: restoring a historic theater in her hometown.

The Teatro della Cometa, or Comet Theater, went dark during the pandemic and the designer purchased the 250-seat, horseshoe-shaped venue in order to give it a second life.

She has previously designed costumes for ballet performances in Rome, but this will be her first Dior show in the Italian capital. Earlier this year, she presented an exhibition on 19th-century female travelers at the Vatican Apostolic Library.

Speculation is rife that it could be Chiuri’s swansong show for Dior after nine years at the helm.

Former Loewe creative director Jonathan Anderson has succeeded Kim Jones as Dior’s menswear designer and will present his first collection for the French house in June. As the luxury sector weathers a sharp slowdown in growth, he appears poised to also take over the women’s department.