Whether you’ve heard the words “Second Empire Style” or not, we’d bet the aesthetic will look familiar. Popularized in France during Napoleon’s reign (and still recognizable today), Second Empire is highbrow and eclectic, filled with references to past design movements — from neoclassical to Baroque Revival. Held together by then-futuristic materials like iron, glass, and steel, Second Empire interiors were filled with ornate white-and-gold motifs, coloured marble, and exotic wood panelling. Canadians took up the aesthetic in the late 1800s, with examples like the Montreal City Hall and Parliament Buildings enduring through the modern day. But what does this interior design lesson have to do with the brand-new Dior Cannage Capsule? In short: everything. Let’s discuss.
In 1947, just as the sun rose over Christian Dior’s legendary tenure in high fashion, guests swarmed the doors of 30 Avenue Montaigne, Paris, to see the Monsieur’s debut collection. “This delightful house then had enough elegant rooms and salons, sufficient nooks and crannies to contain all eighty-five of us,” the designer wrote in 1958’s Dior by Dior.
Never a bad host, Dior laid out rows of posh, light-hued Napoleon III chairs, inviting his guests to take a seat. Owing to the Monsieur’s “avowed taste for interior decoration and architecture,” every aspect of the show — from design to furniture — was carefully curated, reflecting the sophisticated subversion of 1947’s collection. These chairs, with their intricate wood-and-cane webbing, became a fountain of inspiration for the Maison.
Although they’re synonymous with Dior today, the graphic, quilted Cannage lines were initially crafted to resemble a rattan weave. After an early appearance on the bottle of 1953’s Eau Fraîche, though, the Cannage pattern took on a life of its own. During Marc Bohan’s long tenure at Dior, the pattern popped up on Lady Dior handbags and overcoats. John Galliano shared his predecessor’s passion, updating the Cannage with sleek, modern lines — composed of the letters ‘D-I-O-R’ — when he took over in the 2000s.
With the 2024 Dior Cannage Capsule, Kim Jones gives us his take. A subdued concoction of sky blue pastels, puffy cotton whites, and storm-cloud greys make up the bulk of the capsule. It’s a fairly casual collection, composed of functional fabrics and street-ready silhouettes. That said, it covers nearly everything on the spectrum: shiny silk twill shirts, loose carpenter jeans, blue cotton overcoats with Dior charm motifs and embroidered pockets. Technical prowess ties it all together; knit overshirts recall the subtle tailoring of a suit jacket while chic straps elevate sleeveless vests.
Still, if there’s one thing that drives the Dior Cannage Capsule home, it’s heritage. At once audacious and elegant, the capsule nods to the controversial legacy of Christian Dior’s ‘New Look,’ while the very palette — blue, grey, and white — captures the Monsieur’s favourite colours. Jones manages, yet again, to balance between heritage with innovation.
In fact, Kim Jones’ Cannage shares something with the Second Empire Style. The capsule cherrypicks aesthetics from the past, stitching them together with modern technology. Taken as a whole, the end result is entirely new. As of today, the Dior Cannage Capsule is available in-stores and online.
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