Dior Men’s SS24 – Paris Fashion Week

It seems like only yesterday Kim Jones was announced as the new Dior menswear creative director.  For his fifth anniversary show for SS24 at Paris Fashion Week he gave us a timely reminder of why he’s always had fashion at the edge of its seat over his storied career.   To match a collection that revelled in modernity and form, Jones’ celebration was held in a futuristic space where the cast simultaneously rose through the floor like life-size dolls on a fashion lover’s dream production line.

At once, the influences of past Dior masters – Yves Saint Laurent, Gianfranco Ferré, Marc Bohan and, of course, Monsieur Dior himself – immediately flooded the eyes.  This wasn’t going to be just be a celebration of Jones’ tenure at the House, this was also going to be Jones’ celebration of the names that made the House great.

Summer silhouettes tinged with a satisfying contemporary blush described the broad outlines to the narrative.   Both casual and formal single-breasted suits (sometimes with the jackets hung off the shoulders, sometimes with leather jackets hung off the shoulders over the suit) were teamed with ankle-swinging wide-legged trousers to deliver new interpretations of masculine archetypes.  The tick to that tock came with the patterned singlet tops and thigh-baring short shorts that leaned towards more feminine tropes.

The Jones summer will also be for layering – a trait seen on a number of menswear catwalks for next year.  Key to that notion will be the lurid colours of the acid yellow, bright blue and electric pink knitwear worn under jackets and over untucked shirts.  By contrast, the A-line mac coats worn over buttoned-up shirts and paired with socks and sandals were chic simplicity defined.  Other familiar forms, like Harrington Jackets, polo shirts and round-necked cardigans, were transformed with intricate jewelled embroidery, luxurious fabrics and pop art sensibilities to add extra dimensions to Jones’ overall picture.

“Dior is an haute couture house: it is all about the clothes. at the heart of Dior is silhouette, shape, technique and fabrication of the very highest order;” said Jones about his collection.  “I like to think that in my five years of being here, I have never forgotten this.”  And, as long as he keeps delivering creative propositions like this, we won’t soon be forgetting about Kim Jones either.

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