Talk has been that cool guys all over the world are starting to wear flat ballerina women’s shoes from Flatbush to Shibuya. How in short time the biggest men’s wear designer in the world manages to steer his giant show operation in this direction will remain a mystery but such is the strength of Kim Jones and his work at Dior Men. Mining culture for fashion inspiration has been the name of the game for a long time. The most famous example probably being the Mondrian collection by Mr. Yves Saint Laurent or his Ballets Russes. Dior Men and Fendi women’s designer Kim Jones is not far behind anymore. From the Bloomsbury inspired first Fendi Haute Couture collection to his Pre-Fall 2022 show for Dior Men in London inspired by the Beat Generation and its spearhead writer Jack Kerouac, Jones has been at the forefront of turning any kind of cultural movement into a template for a strong fashion collection. His love for contemporary art ranging from kitschy Kenny Scharf to A list painters Peter Doig or Raymond Pettibon have informed past collections; his deep knowledge of 90’s house music which usually propels his runway soundtracks is well known and the love of music even yielded a collection with rapper Travis Scott. So, after his spectacular 5^th anniversary collection where the models were beamed up and down into the show space by the École Militaire, he turned to dancer Rudolf Nureyev to deliver a men’s collection which was also his first Dior Men’s Haute Couture for the finale pieces. Nureyev was famous for what he wore off stage as well combining turbans, warm up gear with high fashion. It was a stunning fashion moment heightened by the finale where the models soared above the audience from elevating platforms. Jones handed out a book to guests with photos by his uncle Colin Jones who was a dancer with Nureyev and captured his personal style. The fact that Jones has been holding such precious collection inspiration for such a long time speaks volumes about his creative energy.

Novelties?

The opening section was full of great knitwear and a new mini dress like jumpsuit with shorts which was worn with loose jacket coats. Jones has a great hand at introducing women’s looks into a masculine clothing canon and made it his look number one.

Music at the cash register?

Jones has not only been establishing a lot of clothing trends at Dior such as his slightly asymmetric suiting which graces celebrities on every red carpet, but he also delivers leather goods. The flat ballerina shoes in black and pink were superb as were all the men’s bags including clutches.

The vibe?

The ultimate juxtaposition was the casual ballet Nureyev with a backpack over his shoulder, a V-neck zippered knit and baggy leather pants on his way to training with the Haute Couture pieces. Our highlight was a gray cape with a silver Toile de Jouy motif and scalloped hems.