Dior Men’s Was About Functional Fashion, Savoir-Faire And Ceramic Cats

When the opening look for Dior Men’s walked the runway clasping the mini-me version of one of the monumental cat sculptures forming the set, I couldn’t help but be reminded of the furore that erupted when Schiaparelli sent out Kendall Jenner accessorized with a (fake) lion head.

While the reference may or may not have been intentional, it made me think about how a brand’s DNA isn’t just about silhouettes and bestsellers.

It’s also defined by values which albeit less tangible are arguably more important. Initial reaction to Dior’s New Look notwithstanding, the maison favors savoir-faire over shock tactics.

Writing in the show notes, artistic director Kim Jones said he “wanted to concentrate on elements of craft, the skills of the ateliers and artisans who work for the house: this is the lifeblood of Dior.”

A scarf collar motif interpreted by sculptor Flávio Nuñez from a 1960 Saint-Laurent archival piece into a mock ceramic structure took months to achieve while a hand-beaded collarless jacket with a blue and white floral motif resembling Delft China took hundreds of hours to complete.

Back to the silhouettes and bestsellers. House signature tailoring was combined with utility and workwear across garments and footwear. While the latter owed its silhouette and wooden detailing to traditional working shoe, the clog, it came realized in the form of more practical derbies and biker boots.

Watch words were “functionality, longevity and legacy.”

The collection’s hero bag was the iconic Dior Saddle which Jones appropriated from the women’s universe at the very start of his tenure.

As for the cats, they were scaled up reproductions of ceramic pieces by South African artist Hylton Nel, of whose work Jones is an avid collector. Aside from aforementioned ceramic references, whimsical broaches, studded detailing on footwear and bags and playful knitwear motifs all drew inspiration from Hylton’s oeuvre.

The line-up was completed by front row guests including Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny, Dior ambassadors Robert Pattinson and K-pop outfit Tomorrow x Together, Kate Moss and Demi Moore.