Every one that I spoke to after the Dior Winter 2026 menswear show had only one takeaway from it: the yellow anime hair. Did I find them distracting? Yes. But did I like them in the context of a runway show where ideas and visions are meant to be showcased, and not just clothes? Also yes.

If Jonathan Anderson's debut menswear collection (that have already started rolling out in boutiques) were criticised to be too "simple" and "commercial", his second effort took it to the opposite end of the spectrum. The starting point of the collection was Paul Poiret, the French couturier known for fluid forms that deviated from the corseted looks of the time. Poiret's boutique was a few steps away from Dior's historic Avenue Montaigne address, and there still is a commemorative plaque with his name and emblematic design just outside the Dior boutique. Much like Poiret's dismantling women's fashion and silhouette back in the day, Anderson aimed to disregard typical notions of menswear in order to construct and blur the lines between menswear and womenswear.

There's a punk undercurrent that was felt throughout the show—yes, once again, brought about by the acid yellow hair by Guido Palau. The carefree spirit was apparent right from the opening look that consisted of a sequinned vest reminiscent of a flapper dress that's then finished with hand embroidery. The opulent top was paired with washed denim jeans, D-shaped boots in a watersnake print, that soon-to-be-classic Dior Medallion belt, and the collection's knit messenger bag. It was a high-low eclectic mix of contradictory ideas and juxtapositions—all supplemented by couture-levels of craft and finesse.

The fit: The Dior Winter 2026 menswer collection had plenty of visual tensions between the formal and the casual, the feminine and the masculine, and of course, elegance versus abject simplicity.

Anderson continued his exploration of the Bar jacket. Cropped versions stood out in multiple variations—including denim variations—while lengthened versions resembled coats with such precise structure. More technical outerwear too took on the form of the Bar silhouette, but cinched with sportier detailing. Anderson's Bar jackets for men were worn with everything from distressed denims (made in Japan) to slim cut formal trousers to denim jorts decorated with military-esqe buttons.

The collection's more elaborate pieces consisted of jacquared draped around coats, cannage skirts, cocooning outerwear that—much like Poiret and Christian Dior himself—reformed the male body. Splendid chenille tweed jumpers constructed with metallic yarns looked sparkled in the light, and in some variations, were topped off with embellished epaulettes. Divine.

The details: Now that Anderson is into his second season, it's very apparent that he intends on bridging the gap between the menswear and womenswear collections for a cohesive Dior aesthetic. The D-shaped boots from the show were borrowed from his debut womenswear collection, rendered in watersnake motifs as well as calf leather variations. The Dior Medallion too were brought forward and had an increased prominence on the Dior Winter 2026 menswear collection. The Dior Medallion loafers are already on my wish list.

For those who fancy the Dior Roadie sneakers, they were shown in newer iterations in terms of colourways and materials. There was even a gold version worn by a model not styled with yellow hair.

New bag shapes were shown too. But the knit messenger bags were definitely the ones that everyone had their eyes on. They were deliciously slouchy and decorated with the Dior Cannage. Practicality might be an issue because of its make, but beautifully made nonetheless. And very much different for Dior.

Three exceptional looks: The simple yet effective pairing in look 19—what a standout jacket; look 21's stunner that consisted of the aforementioned chenille tweed jumper with embroidered epaulettes; and look 41's cool way to wear the Bar.

The takeaway: Always look beyond the stylistic choices meant to communicate a collection's narrative. Also, a distressed denim Bar jacket.

View the full Dior Winter 2026 menswear collection in the gallery below.