SCULPTURE and architecture were integral to Christian Dior’s work, and the Men’s Summer 2020 collection under the artistic direction of Kim Jones pays homage to the long-standing legacy of the fashion House. In collaboration with multidisciplinary American artist Daniel Arsham, the show explores the evolution of Dior in the interplay between past, present and future of the brand.
Set inside the Arab World Institute in Paris, the guests arrived to a room inspired by the Christian Dior’s office, with the original items – his clock, his telephone – reimagined by Daniel Arsham. The catwalk itself looks like it has been uncovered from a fictional archeological site, where the monumental monoliths of Dior reference the artist’s Future Relics series. This artistic collaboration reinterprets modern history of the brand and gives a new heritage to Dior.
The crafted silhouettes of the collection are soft sculptures in themselves. The dramatic shapes are gently structured with fluidity and suppleness, blending streetwear with mature tailored garments. Elongated belts, safari caps and wide scarves reinterpret classic Dior suits, while the earthy palette and faux-cracked prints draw inspiration from Arsham’s work. Pieces have worked both by Dior men’s atelier and the artist, who examined Dior archives and the archaeology of the brand to create a reimagined future. Reinterpreting the iconography of the saddle bag, this iconic Dior accessory will be 3-D printed in limited edition for this 2020 collection.
The show also featured the brand’s first-ever collaboration with the luxury luggage brand RIMOWA. Using an innovative combination of anodising processes, the Dior oblique motif is inscribed directly into the product’s aluminium skin. Reflecting sublime expertise and craftsmanship of both brands, this unique capsule collection will include a backpack, a champagne case, a hand case, a clutch and a cabin suitcase.
The notion of the relic, constant evolution, investigation and creation of history, flows through the design of the collection. Redrafting the Dior newspaper print, first introduced in 2000 haute-couture collection, and the classic Dior oblique monogram, the pieces manifest the intertwining of the past and the future to create the present of the House.
Watch the full video of the show here.
by Olga Kuznietsova