At the Men’s Fashion Show for Fall Winter 2023, designer Kim Jones of Dior, seems to have taken a special interest in the cosmos, specifically the stars.
For the Dior Fall/Winter 2023 Menswear collection, artistic director Kim Jones looks to the stars and skies of ancient Egypt, uniting the past with the present and the future at the Great Pyramid of Giza for the house’s 75th anniversary. As they are a recurring inspiration for the house, the collection is guided by Christian Dior’s belief in astrology, incorporating the house’s legacy into this futuristic collection.
“My interest in ancient Egypt is about the stars and the sky. It’s the fascination of the ancient world and a parallel to what we look at today, what we have inherited from our ancestors and what we are still learning from the past. It all relates to Christian Dior and the fascination with symbols and superstitions.” -Kim Jones.
These seem to be just some of the premises of this collection that literally came to life among the pyramids of ancient Egypt in Cairo. The star, of all symbols, is absolutely emblematic of Dior. The star is part of Maison’s tradition and harks back to that lucky star found by Monsieur Christian Dior in the Rue Du Faubourg Saint-Honor.
Guests at Dior’s latest runway show were immersed in a captivating atmosphere of billowing smoke, pools of light and cascading silhouettes. The futuristic feel of the show was something akin to the uncompromising sand landscapes of Frank Herbert’s Dune: at once daunting yet tantalizing at the same time.
Lights illuminated from below the imposing pyramids of Giza and a path along which the models began their pilgrimage to reach the main catwalk. Techno music accompanied their steps as they approached to unveil the 75 looks of the collection. A collection that, from the first moment, reveals the three worlds that are adjacent in their inspiration: on the one hand, we have the modern and minimal tailoring of the Maison, while on the other, there are references to ancient Egypt, with the layers and vaporous fabrics that hang from the shoulders of jackets and coats, reminding us of the tunics of the pharaohs. The third element is the clear dunecore trend, which, in this collection, Kim Jones has decided to incorporate in a much more literal way.
The collection also featured technical garments, such as windbreakers, snow coats or raincoats, and shorts with long leggings. Dior’s signature couture finish received technical embellishments, while the collection’s archival embroidery was transformed into futuristic armour. Thick, heavy combat boots formed the basis of almost every look, but the various accessories really pushed each look to the limit; visors, transparent ‘sand shields’ and space helmets imbued the collection with astronomical style.
When it came to matching, the general tone of the show was to combine very sporty and technical garments with more elegant ones. For example, a kangaroo jacket with transparencies with suit trousers that also incorporated a pleated midi overskirt.
The shades of the collection were designed to blend in completely with the impressive landscape that the parade had behind it: total looks in off-white, brown or military green, interspersed with others in grey or black, to which colour notes such as yellow or orange were incorporated. As for prints, the most present were the CD Diamond and a galaxy print that we saw incorporated in raincoats and windbreakers. A reference to the ancient Egyptians’ belief that the Gods were in the stars and that the higher the pyramid, the closer the buried pharaohs would be to them.
The Pre-Fall 2023 collection also featured a star-studded guest list, including Robert Pattinson and Suki Waterhouse, who made their red carpet debut as a couple after four years of dating. The Batman star wore an ivory suit ensemble, while the model appeared in a sheer dress. Other guests included Naomi Campbell, Lewis Hamilton, Thomas Doherty, EXO’s Sehun, Lila Moss and many more.
