Kim Jones celebrated five years at Dior with a “pop-up” presentation that saw models sprouting from the floor of the venue, through the magic of trap doors and hydraulic platforms.
Guests including Demi Moore, Gwendoline Christie and newly minted Thai brand ambassadors Nattawin Wattanagitiphat, better known as Apo, and Phakphum Romsaithong, nicknamed Mile, flocked to a tent on the grounds of the Ecole Militaire in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, drawing crowds of screaming fans.
Jones said he got the idea from founder Christian Dior’s garden, with models — some wearing neon-colored beanie hats — standing in for flowers. The collection paid tribute to the brand’s storied cast of creative directors ranging from Yves Saint Laurent to Gianfranco Ferré, in a celebration of house codes focused on its signature cannage pattern.
Jones began exploring Saint Laurent’s legacy last season and channeled the architectural lines of his 1959 collections with looks like an impeccable navy bouclé wool V-neck tunic, set off with a jeweled brooch, and ample coats in tweed shot through with metallic thread.
He highlighted Christian Dior’s history of using the fabric from his very first collections, modernizing it by deploying it across items including athletic shorts, tank tops and rucksacks. Meanwhile, the cannage pattern appeared on everything from cropped sweaters, paired with herringbone cardigans, to cognac-colored satchels.
Jones said that despite the quiet luxury trend, some consumers hanker for strong brand signifiers. “You just have to go down the street in America or China or somewhere and you see how people dress, so it depends where you are,” he said.
“I mean, I don’t wear logos but I understand why kids love them. And we have the logo, but I’m always very strict on monitoring how much we use it, because it can be overkill,” he added.
Since taking over as artistic director of menswear at the French fashion house, Jones has consistently mined its couture archives in tandem with his personal passions. A keen collector of rare first editions, vintage clothes and art, he noted that the Dior teams are always scouting the market for additions to its archives.
“Things come up at auction that they haven’t seen. We get a newsletter each month with the new things that come in and you just see one thing and you can just pull a whole story out,” he enthused.
This season, Jones was particularly inspired by some of the jewelry pieces from the past, adding cabochon embroideries to items like pinstriped shirts and a fluorescent green twin-set. Loose suits with cropped wide pants, worn with thick-soled brogues, added a dash of London attitude.
With its metallic gray floors and walls, the set might have conjured a meat locker, were it not for the soaring temperatures inside the venue. The stripped-back décor was surprising, considering the designer’s milestone celebration, but Jones was probably wise to rein back in a week dominated by Pharrell Williams’ much-publicized debut at Louis Vuitton.
“It’s a couture house. I want it to be about clothes,” he said. With their wealth of rich detail, these outfits were making a statement all on their own.