DIOR partners with globally recognised Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton for a new menswear capsule collection.
Hamilton, widely known for his achievements in auto racing, has co-designed Dior’s latest capsule collection for men centring around winter sports, snowboarding and skiing.
The capsule aims to bring the essence of French and global savoir-faire to the outdoors, breaking the boundaries of elegance, performance and excellence, with sustainability also being a major aspect.
The capsule expands at the hands of global ateliers from Dior’s Parisian heritage to the aesthetics of Descente’s Japanese skiwear and the weavers of Burkina Faso, ensuring that sporting practicality and traditional savoir-faire are respected.
Traditional Dior tweed and African weaves counterbalance the silhouettes of sagging denim, knits, sweats and fleeces, fabricated from organic and recycled materials.
The high-tech precision of Japanese skiwear ensures protection from extreme weather, ensuring high-quality garments with durability at the forefront.
Additionally, the collection’s accessories are skillfully produced and sourced, such as the POC protective gear made in Sweden and the custom snowboards of the Swiss Factory 9.
Shoes and bags are carefully constructed in Dior’s Parisian atelier, where leather is substituted without forsaking tradition in execution but merging it with enhancements from contemporary comprehensions.
The capsule sees innovation as a leading feature, with the Dior Derby’s reinterpreted into snow shoes comprising new capacities to not only be worn as a daily shoe but to be used snowboarding on the slopes. Additionally, the capsule presents a new silhouette, the B44 Blade, which brings a retro aesthetic to sportswear.
As for bags, the new Dior zipped backpack is constructed using durable fabrics, merging themes of daily life and technicality, embellishment and functionality alongside purpose and yearning.
“Working with Kim and the talented team at Dior has been a dream, and I was honoured when Kim asked if I’d like to do this with him. Our values and ideas are aligned, making it easy to bring to life a creative collection infused with our shared experiences, focusing on conscious choices and pushing boundaries with each piece, while merging inspiration from my roots in Africa — drawing from their fabrics and belief in natural materials, as well as vibrant colours and powerful energy – has been so inspiring. I hope people everywhere feel good in these garments we designed so carefully.” — Lewis Hamilton
by Nicole Pereira