It was almost a given that the Dior Men Winter 2024 collection would once again be artistic director Kim Jones' homage to the storied history and archives of the House. Jones' continued reverence for the House has undoubtedly created some of the most inspiring contemporary pieces of late. And the fact that he's able to do so season after season, displays just how extensive the Dior archive is—there are still so many stories to discover and rediscover. Jones is helping to tell those stories.
For Winter 2024, Jones focused on the relationship between Dior and ballet, specifically Margot Fonteyn and Monsieur Dior, and by extension, the former's dance partner, Rudolf Nureyev. In a surprising happenstance, Jones' uncle—photographer and former ballet dancer Colin Jones—too had a link to Nureyev, having photographed the legend and developed a friendship with him. The Winter 2024 collection was thus fashioned as a complete wardrobe of a dancer's life, both onstage and off—channelled through Nureyev's life.
And if you think theatricality was left only in the clothes (including a Dior Men haute couture finale debut), you'd be sorely mistaken. Jones has been dabbling with the runway show theatrics of late. Summer 2024's show saw models ascending from the ground; Winter 2024 saw models ascending to the starry sky of the showspace in a stirring finale that in some ways, reminded me of the staging of one of the rooms in La Galarie Dior.
The fit: Tailoring was sharp and languid all the same—once again taking inspiration from Yves Saint Laurent's definitive silhouette for the House. But for Winter 2024, I'd like to focus on how the collection felt like it's made ready for travel. The collection consisted more of separate pieces than specifically designed coordinates, meaning that everything could be easily spliced and remixed together, reflecting the malleability of a dancer's off-duty wardrobe. Just grab a few pieces and one would essentially look pretty put together.
There's an apparent '70s vibe to the entire collection, marked by the simplicity of the shapes and the lack of excessive details (especially in the beginning looks). Fastenings too were designed to be easy—zips were rampant throughout the entire collection on everything from coats to rompers to deep-V cardigans.
The details: Ballet slippers were interpreted as Mary Jane loafers in a multitude of colours. One that stood out the most on the runway for me was one rendered in an electric blue, paired almost casually with a more grounding brown outfit (look 19). There were also more obvious interpretations of ballet slippers as well as slip-ons thrown in the mix.
Cannage bags were crafted from silk-like material, giving off a sheen that looked luxurious even from the elevated seating I was put at. They came in the form of camera as well as bum bags that added a utilitarian juxtaposition to the ready-to-wear's more elegant designs. One particular bag that immediately caught my eye was a backpack (look 47) embroidered with a somewhat blown-up toile de Jouy motif and paired with a top done in the same treatment. Beautiful.
While this collection felt more commercial and simplified than perhaps the Summer 2024 collection, the details were still aplenty, especially in the couture offerings. Embroidered collars and waists took on intricate forms, enveloping the circumference of where they're positioned and encasing the body with armour-like protection.
Three exceptional looks: Look 4's unassuming romper paired with a turban (inspired by a 1999 Stephen Jones creation for Dior womenswear) and mustard socks; the scrumptious oversized brown coat worn with leather trousers for a monochromatic fit in look 21; and the divine jewelled mastery of look 50 that also combined elements of Jones' interpretation of Dior Men that I personally gravitate towards.
The takeaway: A brilliant way of gaining inspiration from ballet without forcefully injecting tutus and skirts and all that stereotypical ilk.
View the full Dior Men Winter 2024 collection in the gallery below.
