The Dior Men’s fall ‘24/25 collection was a delicate dance of poetry and commercial dexterity.
For his show on Friday, Artistic Director Kim Jones drew inspiration from seminal ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev—as portrayed by Jones’ late uncle Colin Jones, himself a dancer turned photographer.
While dance derived tropes alongside Nureyev favorites were interpreted directly by way of more ‘editorial’ zip-front jumpsuits, Jones also proved a master of nuance, integrating the foundations of the theme into garments with a much broader appeal.
Case in point, one of the collection’s zip-up knitwear pieces which was also worn by Lewis Hamilton front row.
Overall the runway felt less streetwear inflected than recent seasons and doubled down on the tailoring beloved by Dior ambassadors, K-Pop sensation Tomorrow X Together, aka TXT, present en masse front row for the first time since their appointment in August.
Similarly, the collection’s footwear—a chunky ballerina pump / plimsoll hybrid offered a softer and more streamlined take on the sneaker that has become a Dior Men mainstay.
Like Hamilton, and many other notable attendees, the outfit showcased looks from the new collection including the Oblique suit, an asymmetric take on the classic Dior Bar Jacket that has been a Jones signature from his Spring ‘19 debut.
In fact, extending his runway by dressing the front row in the new collection is also something Jones has done from the beginning of his tenure at Dior Men.
Which brings us to exposure. A turn on the runway followed by a group finale and you’re done is all very well but to generate real business impact from the not inconsiderable cost of staging such a production, you want to ensure that looks remain in plain sight for as long as possible.
A revolving two tier podium—the second tier rising from the ground as it turned ensured that the 60 look collection did just that.
The second tier actually showcased a selection of ‘couture’ looks which drew inspiration from the house’s archives alongside the catalogue of a Nureyev auction held by Christie’s. Doubtless it capitalizes on the growing appetite for couture pieces among Jones’ male clientele.
Particularly striking were a longline iteration of the Oblique jacket with embellished waist, and asymmetric tabard embroidered in Toile de Jouy styled with matching backpack.
Following the show, the house staged a presentation for its new eight-piece Chiffre Rouge men’s timepiece collection—revisited for the first time since its launch 20 years ago—in its Avenue Montaigne flagship.
A notable feature is that the date display is highlighted in red on the eighth of every month—a nod to the fact that Monsieur Dior, a student of numerology, believed it to be a lucky number. Elsewhere, straps are embossed with the cannage motif which embellished the chairs of the maison’s early fashion shows.
Said cannage motif also appeared on some of the plimsolls in Jones’ fall ‘24 collection. However, while horology is not Jones’ domain, Dior timepieces are nonetheless all crafted in house as opposed to under license—just like the glasses produced by LVMH owned Thélios, the Group’s eyewear division.
For the record, Sidney Toledano, LVMH Group’s outgoing head—succeeded as of next month by Michael Burke—was integral in assuming control of production and distribution during his 18 years as CEO of Christian Dior Couture.
Chiffre Rouge’s staggered launc,h running throughout 2024, commences in February.
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