Jonathan Anderson's Dior Menswear Show Explores 'New Aristocracy'
In a theatrical presentation at Paris's Musée Rodin, Jonathan Anderson unveiled his second menswear collection for Dior, exploring what he described as 'the idea of a new aristocracy'. The show, attended by notable guests including actors Robert Pattinson and Mia Goth alongside Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton, deliberately sought to shun normality in favour of eccentric character studies.
Theatrical Styling and Historical References
Anderson's vision was immediately apparent through striking visual elements. Models opened the show wearing sequin camisole tops, skinny jeans, and snakeskin boots, with every model sporting synthetic wigs in either scruffy faded styles or bright canary yellow. This theatrical approach was described by the designer as 'punk-iness meets Poiret', referencing the French designer Paul Poiret known for abolishing traditional couture techniques like corsets in favour of belle époque theatrics.
The designer explained that his inspiration came from daily walks along Avenue Montaigne, where he encountered a mosaic dedicated to Poiret near the Dior store. Anderson expressed interest in playing with Poiret's sense of ease, contrasting it with Christian Dior's famous New Look that caused controversy with its structured hourglass silhouettes in 1947.
Proportion Play and Eclectic Influences
Traditional Dior elements were reinterpreted with contemporary twists. Bar jackets appeared with hems cropped above the hip rather than at the traditional thigh length, sometimes revealing slivers of belly. Suiting drew on prewar references or 1960s cuts, with Anderson describing the approach as 'slightly fucking with the proportions'. He selected these eras because they represented 'moments just before the world sort of slightly changed', suggesting that clothing can sometimes foreshadow cultural shifts.
Anderson's eclectic references extended beyond fashion history to include New Jersey musician MK Gee, whose influence manifested in roomy parka jackets with Poiret-esque frou-frou sleeves worn over neat tailoring. The British comedy Withnail and I also informed the collection through Richard E Grant's lived-in aesthetic, translated into faded and distressed fabrics.
Collaging Approach and Commercial Strategy
Since becoming Dior's first solo creative director of both menswear and womenswear in June 2025, Anderson has embraced what he calls a 'collaging things together' approach. He pointed to examples like a powder-blue polo shirt – typically associated with golf courses – adorned with sparkly epaulettes and paired with floral printed trousers, noting he appreciates when a look has 'a bit of kind of wrongness' to it.
This represents an ambitious direction for a brand that has previously played it safe, particularly within a fragile luxury market. The show occurred against a backdrop of economic uncertainty, with new tariff threats from Donald Trump causing shares at Dior's parent company LVMH to drop 4% earlier in the week. However, Dior believes that a unique point of view and focus on quality can differentiate them from competitors and justify premium pricing.
Bridging Collections and Future Directions
Anderson, who had just a month to prepare for his menswear debut last June and three weeks for the women's show, is now enjoying developing new fabrics, especially for his upcoming couture debut. While items from his debut collections are only beginning to arrive in stores, he noted that female customers are already purchasing men's bar jackets 'because it's a bit more kind of anti-fitting'.
The designer is actively working to 'bridge the two ateliers', explaining that this reflects contemporary shopping habits where 'that type of siloed thinking is no longer there'. He compared the approach to a dessert menu where consumers can mix elements to create their personal style, adding: 'I am not Christian Dior and I am not Dior the brand but I am here to add a chapter to it.'
Luxury Fashion's Broader Context
The Dior presentation occurred within a broader Paris Fashion Week context where other luxury houses are also exploring future directions. On Monday night, Pharrell Williams presented his Louis Vuitton collection as 'retro-futuristic' with technical tailoring that included double-breasted suits in houndstooth and herringbone checks that became reflective under lights, purposefully crinkled shirts designed to sculpt to the wearer, and jackets featuring temperature-regulating technology.
Williams' show, attended by guests including Adolescence star Stephen Graham and musician Skepta, featured a catwalk snaking around a giant prefabricated home also designed by the creative director, further emphasizing luxury fashion's ongoing experimentation with presentation formats and futuristic concepts.
