Dior Men’s Cosmic Couture by Kim Jones

Dior Men's Cosmic Couture by Kim Jones

Dior Men Unveils Fall 2023 Collection at the Great Pyramid of Giza

In the mid-2010s, the fashion industry had a moment of doubt about the traditional fashion show’s relevance in the digital age. But instead of scrapping the concept, bigger brands decided to supercharge it. They started choosing jaw-dropping locations to impress not only the VIPs attending the shows but also the wider world watching on TikTok and Instagram.

And that’s how the fashion industry found itself gasping in awe as Kim Jones, the British designer at the helm of Dior Men, unveiled his fall 2023 collection in front of the iconic Great Pyramid of Giza. Jones explains, “I wanted to focus on the historical aspect and what a place like this means to the world. After all, the Great Pyramid is one of the Seven Wonders of the World—the only one that remains. I think it was a major moment in the history of fashion.”

But let’s talk about the clothes themselves, shall we? The collection is perfectly suited to the grandeur of Giza, where the human and the cosmic converge. Dior’s feminine couture history blends seamlessly with futuristic menswear, creating a palette of desert grays and sands. From classic fabrics inspired by Dior’s womenswear to experimental materials like anodized metals and injection-molded trims, the collection exudes a layered fluidity that brings ease even to the most out-there pieces. It feels both contemporary and timeless, simultaneously capturing the spirit of the present while traversing boundaries.

Clothing and accessories (above and throughout) by Dior Men.

For fans of Kim Jones, this extraordinary collection shouldn’t come as a surprise. With a childhood marked by nomadic adventures from London to Africa, South America, and the Caribbean, Jones still finds travel as a major source of inspiration. He made a name for himself with his own line of streetwear and a memorable collaboration with Umbro in the early 2000s. Way before streetwear became the obsession of high fashion, Jones recognized the appeal of designing elevated versions of tracksuits and sweats he knew from his club days in London. As a cultural polymath with eclectic tastes, his approach to fashion is always unpredictable and unconventional.

Jones draws inspiration from various sources, be it Kerouac or the flamboyant costumes of ’80s London club star Leigh Bowery. Consequently, his designs and shows often veer away from the expected. For instance, instead of the usual runway soundtrack, he once had Robert Pattinson and Gwendoline Christie recite T.S. Eliot’s “The Waste Land.” It’s clear that Jones believes fashion alone is not enough; he is more interested in how culture shapes people’s lives.

But that doesn’t mean fashion takes a back seat, especially when working for an esteemed Maison like Dior. The archives serve as a starting point, offering techniques that made the house of Christian Dior famous in the first place. However, Jones doesn’t aim to recreate old designs. Instead, he carefully weaves the past into the future, incorporating couture elements into his latest collection. The joy of Jones’ designs lies in the interplay, be it cultural or temporal. As he explains, “It’s about the past shaping the future or an idea of the future from the past.”