Jonathan Anderson to present highly anticipated new menswear collection in Paris
Following a praised debut menswear collection in June_ Jonathan Anderson returns to Paris on Wednesday with a new Dior Homme collection. This is a decisive step in establishing the brand's renewed identity and preparing for its haute couture debut.
The show will be held on the second day of Paris Fashion Week Men's. It is scheduled for 2:30pm CET (1:30pm GMT) in the garden of the Rodin Museum and is one of the highlights of the week.
"There is great anticipation_ great pressure_" Alice Feillard_ head of menswear buying at Galeries Lafayette_ confirmed to AFP. The designer has once again created a meticulous invitation. Following plates adorned with eggs and then walnuts_ this time he sent a very dandyish silk collar from another era.
For his first collection_ the 41-year-old Northern Irish couturier drew from the archives of the house founded in 1946. He reinterpreted the multi-pleated Delft dress through wide cargo shorts and updated the iconic Bar jacket_ tightly cinched at the waist with rounded hips.
"My idea is that we must decipher and reprogramme Dior_" he explained. "Dior is a house capable of being reborn from within itself."
The show attracted many stars_ from Rihanna and Daniel Craig to Sabrina Carpenter and Robert Pattinson. It concluded with a standing ovation and received rave reviews_ with the press praising its perfect balance between heritage and reinvention.
Jonathan Anderson at Paris Fashion Week
According to Franck Nauerz_ director of the men's departments at Le Bon Marché and La Samaritaine_ "After ten years of Kim Jones (his predecessor) and his remarkable work with tailoring_ Jonathan Anderson has proposed a completely different approach." Nauerz describes it as having "much more creative_ more casual combinations_ and a little less tailoring."
"It was a very promising first collection. However_ it will need to be consolidated to meet everyone's needs_" the specialist warns.
His first womenswear line_ presented in October_ received a more mixed reception.
"My role_ as artistic director of Dior_ is to lead our clientele into a new chapter while also attracting a new audience. I hope to bring this new Dior aesthetic into everyday reality_" the couturier told French newspaper Le Figaro in early January.
Jonathan Anderson is considered one of fashion's prodigies. Praised for propelling the Spanish brand Loewe_ also owned by LVMH_ to the forefront_ he has built a reputation as a designer with impeccable cuts. He is known for his generous use of fine materials like leather and metal.
His key creations include stage outfits for Beyoncé and Rihanna. He also designed the costumes for "Challengers" and "Queer"_ two films by Italian director Luca Guadagnino.
Couture objective
Appointed last June to replace Maria Grazia Chiuri as head of the womenswear collections_ just a few weeks after his arrival at Dior Homme_ he became the first designer since Christian Dior to oversee all three lines of the LVMH flagship house. This includes haute couture_ and the first collection will be presented on January 26 in Paris.
"He is highly anticipated for this unprecedented task_" notes fashion journalist Marc Beaugé. The following day presents the same challenge for Chanel's new artistic director_ the Franco-Belgian Matthieu Blazy. The two designers gave a glimpse of their expertise at the recent Golden Globes ceremony in Los Angeles.
Jonathan Anderson dressed Irish actress Jessie Buckley in a long_ light blue bustier gown with a high slit. He also dressed American actress Rashida Jones in a sheer black lace dress. Meanwhile_ American star Selena Gomez wore a black sheath dress with a white feather-covered neckline by Chanel.
Until January 25_ 66 houses will unveil their new winter collections through 36 shows and 30 presentations.
Other highlights of the week include Véronique Nichanian presenting her final collection for Hermès on Saturday evening. She is stepping down after 37 years at the helm of the menswear line_ before handing over to Grace Wales Bonner in 2027.