Jonathan Anderson Reimagines Dior's New Look with Bold Experimentation and Artistic Provocation
Jonathan Anderson’s highly anticipated debut in women’s wear at Dior marked a pivotal moment, presenting a fresh, novel interpretation of the house’s renowned New Look. Rather than a singular vision, Anderson explored multiple "new looks," drawing inspiration from Monsieur Dior’s original creations, particularly reimagining over a dozen Bar jackets, all infused with his distinct creative signature.
The show's theatrical setting, conceived by film director Luca Guadagnino (for whom Anderson designed costumes in "Challengers"), featured an striking inverted pyramid at its core. Like previous Dior presentations, the tent was erected over the largest fountain within the Tuileries. The event commenced not with garments, but with an impactful agit-prop video by documentarian Adam Curtis, an artist Anderson deeply admires, whose film "Hypernormalisation" profoundly influenced him by exploring society's current state. The video itself was a compelling, Zoo TV-esque montage of Dior's history, featuring iconic moments like Monsieur Dior, Gianfranco Ferré, John Galliano, and clips of stars like Marlene Dietrich dressed in Dior, eliciting a robust applause from the audience.
Anderson then unveiled his first design: a striking new dress crafted from two silk lengths tied into large knots, sculpted over an internal structure, setting the tone for an experimental collection. He showcased numerous variations of the iconic Bar jacket: some elongated to mirror the original, yet paired with his Dior menswear multi-pleat cargo shorts; others undulating and ruffled at the back for a protruding effect; or cut generously into bulky coats. These were described as "hybrid Bar jackets," part of Anderson's effort to "expand the proposition into a different kind of universe."
The Northern Irish designer also incorporated jersey and cashmere knits, some adorned with bunches of fabric hydrangeas—an abstract rendition of which had previously been seen on Anya Taylor-Joy at the Toronto Film Festival, who was present in the front row. He also brought elements from his menswear debut, including superb "fracks" (Edwardian-style shirts) and cargo shorts. His fabric choices often blended classic Dior materials like silk mohair with JW Anderson’s signature cotton twill.
The front row was a constellation of power and celebrity. LVMH patron and Dior owner Bernard Arnault engaged in lively conversation with Brigitte Macron and Charlize Theron. However, the most significant photographic buzz was generated by Johnny Depp, impeccably dressed in a Dior gray suit and a gangster hat. The sheer number of designers in attendance—including Rick Owens, Glenn Martens, Stefano Pilati, Chitose Abe, Nicolas Di Felice, Christian Louboutin, Camille Miceli, Alessandro Michele, Kris Van Assche, and Simone Bellotti—made it feel as if Anderson had convened a "Montessori school for mature students."
Consistent with his Dior menswear debut in June, Anderson heavily focused on necklines, notably rediscovering an early ’60s Saint Laurent high lace collar. This radical design featured a collar that dramatically cascaded down the back to the floor. Reflecting on the Adam Curtis video, Anderson articulated, "In a weird way… it was what my brain was like for the last two months. You know, Dior is big. The brand is big, and ultimately, the imagination of the brand in the public eye is big. There are films about Dior, there are documentaries about it, and there are books on it. And I think there is this weight. In a weird way, it is sometimes nearly like there is a fantasy in it that is cinematic. If you look at how Dior worked with Hitchcock and Marlene Dietrich, there’s this like campness."
Hat enthusiasts were particularly captivated by the show’s innovative headwear: the Bar hat ingeniously turned inside out, others cut into tricorns resembling aircraft wings, and revamps of traditional nun’s cornets. Anderson also introduced a new, successful triangular bag tied with a small knot, aptly named Cigale. His appointment at Dior is largely attributed to his remarkable commercial success at Loewe, LVMH’s prominent Spanish label, especially with the best-selling Puzzle bag. There are significant expectations for him to deliver a hit leather bag at Dior, a category where the brand hasn’t seen a breakout success since the Lady D and Saddle bags two decades ago.
In a pre-show preview for Italian and Irish editors, Anderson exhibited disarming honesty. When asked about his biggest challenge in joining Dior, he candidly admitted, "I am not a couture designer." Pleading for patience to fully develop his vision before the boards displaying all 75 looks, Anderson added, "There’s this thing about dressing up, by the kind who revere fashion. So, I think over the next while we will play with this tension. And try to work out where Dior can go, because it cannot happen tomorrow or today. It’s not going to happen today. And it’s going to take time to kind of work out where the new type of tension within it is."
This notion of "tension" also resonates with Curtis’s acclaimed documentary "Hypernormalisation." Through a masterful montage of newsreel footage, recent history, and conspiracy theories, it provocatively suggests a political stasis, wherein a powerful cabal of politicians, corporate elites, and technological utopians manipulate global citizens through "antidepressant drugs and social media," crafting a "fake world." This choice of inspiration is somewhat unconventional for a fashion industry typically associated with constant change, especially given Anderson’s patron is Europe's wealthiest man.
Following a Milan Fashion Week where four debut designers at major houses largely played it safe, Anderson’s willingness to take significant risks at Dior was notably impressive. He clearly possesses considerable courage. While his debut may not have been an immediate, universally acclaimed "huge hit," it undoubtedly represents a fascinating and bold "work in progress."
