Dior’s Kim Jones celebrates 5 years as a designer in genderfluid men’s show in Paris
PARIS (AP) — The historic courtyards of the Ecole Militaire served Friday as the grand stage for Dior’s men’s show, a spectacle played out under the watchful eye of the Eiffel Tower.
During a sweltering heat wave in Paris, guests like Game of Thrones star Gwendoline Christie used their metallic invitations as makeshift fans, and a futuristic, square-themed catwalk hinted at the show’s transformative intent.
Once celebrities had taken their place, the show began with an unusual bloom that stirred up the audience. Square blades on the runway retreated, male models rose from the remaining square holes, a costly theatrical demonstration that even the stoic Bernard ArnoldCEO of Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy, reaching for his phone to film.
The event was a milestone for British designer Kim Jones, celebrates its fifth year at the helm of Dior menswear. The collection on display was decidedly bold, combining traditionally feminine elements of Dior’s past with a modern masculine aesthetic, effectively capturing Generation Z’s gender-fluid ethos.
Here are highlights from Friday’s spring-summer collections:
THE SOFT SIDE OF DIOR
“Dior is a haute couture house,” Jones noted. “It’s a culture we inherited from the past of women’s clothing and applied to today’s menswear.” The show featured styles that advocated a softer approach to masculinity. Dior handbags swung on men’s arms, leopard-print skirt-shorts were unapologetically presented, and pink pastel tweed shorts offered a fresh take on masculinity.
The collection showcased an intricate blend of masculine and feminine, transforming the high-end sartorial traditions of British menswear with haute couture fabrications, harking back to Dior’s roots in womenswear. Standout elements included neon accents on loafers and tennis shirts, Balkan geometric motifs and a range of bags in different shapes, colors and textures.
Jones’ collection also paid homage to its predecessors, with a “collage of influences” evident in the texture techniques and silhouettes. From Yves Saint Laurent to Gianfranco Ferré, Marc Bohan to Monsieur Dior himself, Jones created a blend of pop iconography and tradition, transforming the house’s iconic flower woman designs into ‘hommes fleurs’ or ‘flower men’.
Famous for his millinery, Stephen Jones contributed with reinterpretations of new wave beanies with ‘ronghua’, beautiful velvet flowers of Chinese origin that date back to the Tang dynasty.
The Dior men’s show was a bold statement by Jones, who emphasized the fluidity and interconnectedness of gender in fashion. His collection in honor of his fifth anniversary tackled society’s changing views on masculinity head-on, but it also served to push the boundaries, even as he reflected them. For Jones, fashion should be a dialogue, a seamless bridge between past, present and future. With his collections, he has tried to steer the conversation towards a more expansive view of gender roles.
JUNYA WATANABE’S PUNK: A BOLD MERGER
In the center of Paris’ haute couture runway, acclaimed designer Junya Watanabe unveiled a new collection, a visceral tribute to the anarchist ethos of punk culture. A student of Rei Kawakubo, Watanabe’s artistry is often based on the concept of “Monozukuri” – a Japanese philosophy of creation and innovation.
Friday’s catwalk focused on punk aesthetics, a celebration of fashion’s deconstruction — and reconstruction. Different elements of disparate garments were carefully cut out and re-stitched, creating a bold patchwork that pushed the envelope.
The show’s punk inspiration manifested itself in the form of gravity-defying hairstyles reminiscent of Edward Scissorhands, paired flawlessly with the models’ imposing black boots, evoking the rebellious spirit of the punk rock era. Watanabe masterfully captured the raw energy and DIY ethos of punk, creating a story that boldly deconstructed sartorial norms and reassembled them with a new, rebellious syntax.
The highlight of the show, an awe-inspiring array of re-stitched suit panels daringly transformed into resembling armor, exemplified Watanabe’s punk-inspired vision. Suggesting an aggressive critique of the capitalist executive, these fierce creations bridged the gap between streetwear rebellion and corporate veneer.
With this dramatic, punk-focused exploration of Monozukuri, Watanabe cements his pioneering status, seamlessly blending tradition with a robust, disruptive ethos.
CELEBRITY ALLURE MEETS 90S NOSTALGIA AT AMI
Paris Fashion Week was on fire as AMI’s Alexandre Mattiussi deftly underlined the intertwined stories of fashion and celebrity. Presenting a simplified, combined collection, Mattiussi returned to fashion basics, combining refined tailoring with unexpected splashes of sequins.
The show began with Vincent Cassel’s casual stride and paid homage to a more understated fashion era. The collection exuded 90s nostalgia with tailoring in warm grays, chic dusty green and blotchy beige. While the relaxed silhouette of menswear and the sophistication of womenswear struck a nostalgic chord, Mattiussi peppered the collection with sequined buttons and slip skirts, a bold nod to contemporary glamour.
Despite some design flaws, such as exaggerated slits in pinafore skirts, the collection resonated with a relaxed self-assurance, striking a balance between luxury, contemporary and French elegance. The essence of AMI – a return to basics – was convincingly reflected in the minimalist yet luxurious showcase.
Simplicity in design, however, did not equate to a lack of star power. Celebrities such as Manu Rios and Halle Bailey graced the front row, testament to the symbiotic relationship between fashion and celebrity culture. The show echoed the enduring truth: Paris Fashion Week is as much about the fashion as it is about the stars who wear it.
NIGO’S KENZO COLLECTION SHINE ON THE SENINE BRIDGE
On Friday night, the Kenzo show was thriving under the golden hour sun on a bridge overlooking the Seine. Adding to the pre-show glamour, Pharrell Williams arrived fashionably late, still glowing from his triumphant Louis Vuitton debut earlier this week.
Designer Nigo, who took charge of Kenzo in September 2021, continued his youthful revitalization of the brand, moving it away from the preppy styles that defined his past displays. Known for fusing American workwear with street style, Nigo infused the collection with his signatures while living up to Kenzo’s legacy of great print.
The unisex collection still saw subtle flashes of the preppy styles – in school-inspired pieces like oversized glasses, fringed suit lapels and knee-high socks. But it was fused with bold prints with an all-over look in bold reds and blues. Boxy men’s silhouettes made a statement with wide cropped trousers and an abundance of denim, while playful touches like oversized berets and dungarees balanced the urban grit.
Suits, deliberately baggy, were combined with sneakers, so that the collection didn’t take itself too seriously. A palette of soft beige and pastel shades brought a calming touch to the linen suits, which contrasted subtly against the sun-drenched Parisian backdrop. Nigo also introduced a splash of color with bright red knee-high socks, juxtaposed provocatively with an unstructured charcoal gray dress emblazoned with the Kenzo logo.
Despite the sales potential, the collection has remained somewhat elusive, indicating Nigo’s continued efforts to balance his unique vision with Kenzo’s longstanding reputation. However, his latest collection reflected a more confident move and added another exciting chapter to Kenzo’s sartorial journey.
VIP guests later sipped champagne and sipped Alain Ducasse cocktails on a rooftop terrace of the nearby Musee du Quai Branly to celebrate Nigo’s display.
