When Dior staged its Men’s Summer 2024 show, just about almost a year ago, Kim Jones had just celebrated his fifth year in the house. It was a momentous occasion; this year alone, we saw many creative legends and household names bidding adieu, a loss many felt deeply about. So for Kim Jones to stay as Dior Men’s Creative Director for five years (six by now), is a feat worth a party. One would think he would commemorate this through the Summer 2024 runway. Perhaps an archival visit to his design ventures over the years, or a snippet of what he envisioned the future Dior to be.
Yet it was nothing of that sort. Instead, Jones opened and shared the stage with Dior’s past creative directors. My guess of the show being an archival trip did not entirely miss, however. Instead of looking into what he had done, Jones took it as a time to revisit the iconic collections and signatures of Dior’s years of legacy, spanning over the genius of four cornerstone designers of the early days. From the cabochon of Monsieur Dior and the silhouettes of Yves Saint Laurent, the feminine textures of Marc Bohan and to the embroideries of Gianfrance Ferré, Dior Men Summer 2024 is a celebration of culture built upon the artistry of many men that shaped the house.
What the collection is truly about
Beyond a reminiscence and respectful nod to the inspirations made the name for Dior, Summer 2024 is about clothes. Plain and simple, maybe even arrogant, but in a time when fashion houses compete to create a buzz instead of garments, this sets the maison apart. “Dior is an haute couture house; it is all about the clothes,” explained Jones. “At the heart of Dior is silhouette, shape, technique and fabrication of the very highest order.” It is a trait that should be so second-nature to many designers, yet one that many tend to overlook.
The collection celebrates craftsmanship and artistry, art and legacy. The past and present collide, so do the feminine and masculine. The pieces feature iconographies that traverse time: tweed, embroideries, and in particular the famed cannage pattern. Influences from Saint Laurent’s tailoring are present; garments are designed to carry volume, with pleats and necklines inspired from his 1959 collections. They are reimagined into a much more casual and informal setting, fitting for the summer weather — especially for menswear. Despite its largely neutral palette, pops of colours appear on key pieces such as the party hat. Embroideries and play of textural textiles enter the collection, tweed interwoven to form the cannage. In particular, a focal point of the collection is the pair of shoes. Inspired by the emblematic 1995 Lady Dior, a circular Dior logo made a shiny appearance on loafers and slides, wrapped in tweed.
The collection is an explorative journey, and frankly if you ask me, it is merely the mark of Jones’ beginning. There are more to come, more groundbreaking legacies and innovations to await the designer’s time. Some may say — and by some, I meant me — this is just the start.