FINDING the femininity in menswear, Kim Jones’ first show for Dior Homme was imbued with a sense of relaxed romanticism. Set against a giant floral tribute to the House’s founder in one of the barracks of the Republican Guard, the collection looked back to the artistic codes that defined Christian Dior’s approach to couture womenswear, and reinterpreted these for the contemporary man.
Blending soft silhouettes with sheer and gauzy fabrics, the collection centred on floral motifs taken from Christian Dior’s personal porcelain collection. Porcelain also inspired the colour palette, which mixed baby blue, yellow and peach with romantic white and a cool stone grey. Celebrating couture techniques such as applique embellishments, overlaid fabrics and meticulous tailoring, the clothes mixed tradition with innovation—a new wrap-around jacket shape drew inspiration from Dior’s Autumn-Winter 1950 collection.
No collection could claim to represent contemporary menswear without sportswear influences, and the Dior show incorporated these with an intriguing subtlety. Bomber jackets and baseball caps were imagined in a soft floral print, while trainers were mixed with desert boots and patterned high-tops that spoke more of a relaxed practicality than streetwear edge.
The collection conveyed Kim Jones’ vision for Dior through the prism of the label’s history. Bringing contemporary masculine styling into conversation with the more romantic design elements that define the Dior aesthetic—from embroidered organza to elegant tailoring in blush pink and grey – this was an intriguing debut from the new artistic director.
by Rachel Parker