This year marks Kim Jones’ third year as Creative Director at Dior Men, the venerated fashion house that Monsieur Christian Dior founded in 1946. While the designer has a penchant for collaborating with the contemporary art world such as KAWS, Daniel Arsham, Amoako Boafo, Kenny Scharf, and Peter Doig, he finds it equally easy to look back at the Maison’s fabulous archives for inspiration. With such a long history which stretches back to the post-war era, Jones is able to tap on his predecessor’s visions to create his new collection.
For the Maison’s Resort 2022 collection, Jones looked back on the 60s during which Marc Bohan was at the helm of the Maison as the second successor of Monsieur Dior. Incorporating motifs such as the emblematic Dior Oblique print introduced to the label by Bohan, floral details are also seen–a nod to Monsieur Dior’s love for horticulture.
Away from the usual fanfare of extravagant runways, the presentation of the Resort 2022 collection was somewhat subdued as with its novelties. Upon browsing the lookbook captured by Brett Lloyd, one can’t help but notice of the overall tailoring leans more towards less formal. This is in tandem with the current trend of opting for slightly less restrictive clothes because we are spending more time at home now due to the ongoing pandemic. The inclination, hence, is towards more roomy designs that are comfortable to wear.
“Obviously, the customer will recognize and be comfortable in the Dior shapes, but we wanted to play with proportions a bit and look at a way of making tailoring feel less formal, but still really relevant,” Jones said in an interview with WWD.
Another growing trend amongst brands is evoking a sense of nostalgia. As we didn’t really get to celebrate much last year, we look back to happier and better days to make our current situation more bearable. And according to research, nostalgia can contribute to psychological resilience and optimism, and these are important qualities to embody during a time like no other. Commercialising on this uprising trend, Jones has incorporated elements of the past such as chunky, retro-inspired trainers B30, grandad cardigans and bum bags. Overall, the preppy mood of the collection is reminiscent of collegiate life back in the days.
Notable pieces from this collection include the weekender bag called the Lingot, which referred to a bar of gold, a ripstop nylon jacket that can be folded into a saddle bag and of course, the B30 mentioned earlier. Each bag also has a slot for Apple’s newly released AirTags, allowing you to track your bag if it gets stolen. Elsewhere, you can also find the classic logo “Christian Dior Atelier” on the jackets and shirts.
“The packable pieces are really key this season. They represent savoir-faire in a new way for us: not as a particular fabric or embroidery, but as a real study of construction and function,” Jones said.
The Resort 2022 collection is simple yet exudes an air of understated elegance and luxury, making it a sure hit amongst fans of the Maison.