Kim Jones' futuristic endeavours were ever-present throughout the collection, from the innovative construction of the garment to the avant-garde accessories. The construction of a jacket from one continuous piece of fabric is testament to the maison’s impeccable savior-faire.
The Dior Men fall 2023 collection came to light amid the vast, boundless Egyptian desert plains. The majestic peak of the Great Pyramid of Giza painted the backdrop as Kim Jones’ parade of men emerged from a sea of sand in the dark of night to the command of booming techno beats. Jones may have taken the fall 2023 presentation to the grounds where the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the World stood, but his vision for the collection was far from the timeworn. Instead, it carried a distinct futuristic quality that, on many occasions, called to mind Frank Herbert’s dystopian universe, Dune. The otherworldly landscape aside, a palpable Martian sensibility was rife across the 75-men strong crusade. Jones’ army sported futuristic sunglasses topped off with protective face shields, chest guards over knitwear and underneath jackets, and utilitarian combat footwear. Their uniforms, mostly a subdued colour palette of neutrals and varying hues of grey, were occasionally punctuated by pops of bright yellow and zesty orange.
As Jones took to space for inspiration, he naturally had his eyes set on the stars, just as founder Christian Dior and the ancient Egyptians had in the past. The result: a series of astral prints conceived alongside the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), fittingly transposed onto jackets reminiscent of astronaut suits.
It was clear: Jones had little interest in being overtly referential to the history books of ancient Egypt. Instead, he had his nose buried deep in the archives of the Maison—the storied past of its womenswear realm, in particular. By now, Jones’ affinity for drawing from the feminine to inform his menswear outings is an enduring fixture in his modus operandi at Dior Men.
This season, Jones’ points of womenswear reference centred around three archival dresses—the “Junon”, “Bonne Fortune”,and “Caramba”. While the “Junon”, and “Bonne Fortune” dresses were rehashed as meticulously embroidered tank tops and pleated demi-kilts respectively, the “Caramba” dress informed the distinctive cord-stiffened detailing employed in the construction of the collection’s modern wool tracksuits.
The jackets were a tip of the hat to space suits worn by astronauts. Led by expert workmanship, the nuances of the collection were hidden in plain sight. Jones’ vision for the uniform of the future is replete with juxtapositions of experimental accessories against updated menswear classics.
The past and the present, steered by Jones’ vision for the future effortlessly came together where old world techniques were adopted in tandem with cutting-edge technology. These nuances, peppered across the collection, were hidden in plain sight. Astral-printed jackets were purposefully cut to reflect light at precise angles to replicate the shining effect of a star; desert boots featured 3-D printed foot-guards; and demi-kilts were handcrafted with an ingeniuos trompe l'oeil of pleats.
Jones’ work at Dior Men is a wardrobe proposition for men ahead of their time. If not as far a head into a dystopian future as the show presentation might have you believe, the fall 2023 collection offered an ultra-modern sartorial update to quintessential wardrobe pieces. The tailored suits, knitwear separates and tactical jackets would fit into everyday life just as easily as they did in the utopian terrains of Cairo—sans the avant-garde head gear and billowing scarfs.
