Kim Jones Can Do It All
Dior Homme, under the creative direction of Kim Jones, is arguably one of the best menswear brands today. Jones previously found success during his time as the creative director for Louis Vuitton menswear and has continued to find it at Dior Homme.
His appointment to Dior occurred during the major reshuffle of designers at luxury conglomerate LVMH in March 2018. Haider Ackermann left Berluti to focus on his eponymous label, while Kris Van Assche left Dior and took Ackermann’s place. Meanwhile, Jones moved to Dior Homme as Virgil Abloh of Off-White filled his shoes at Louis Vuitton. Jones is known for being close friends with numerous other designers, especially those at LVMH.
Kim Jones’ first collection for Dior Homme debuted in June 2018 for the S/S 19 season, just three months after his appointment. Jones was one of the first to successfully turn streetwear into designer clothing while maintaining the type of quality typically expected of luxury labels. He is brilliant when it comes to delving into the house archives and using those references as a starting point to weave throughout his collections.
The design elements executed by Jones are vastly different from those of typical streetwear brands such as Kith or Supreme, though he previously collaborated to critical acclaim with Supreme for Louis Vuitton. He incorporates beautifully tailored suiting throughout his collections consisting of shorts, rompers, jackets, trenches, and sneakers to complete the modern man’s wardrobe. The clothing takes on a life of its own and tells a marvelous story.
His S/S 2020 collection included free-flowing sashes spilling out of suits, watercolor shirts and coats, multi-colored sheer button-downs, John Galliano-era newspaper prints, and smartly disproportioned suit pieces. His designs at Dior have proven to be a hit amongst A-Listers. Courtney Love, Maluma, Rami Malek, Nick Jonas, Miguel, Kanye, Travis Scott, BTS, A$AP Rocky, and Bella Hadid all count themselves as Kim Jones fanatics.
For the Dior Homme S/S 2020 collection, Jones collaborated with Japanese artist Hajime Sorayama to take the famous ‘90s saddlebag to the next level—they made a fully functional metal version complete with headphones for tassels. The straps were created by the designer Matthew Williams of 1017 ALYX 9SM, who is famous for his distinct buckle strap. While the saddlebag costs about $35,000, it is only one of ten made and can be considered more of an art piece than an everyday bag, although Kim Kardashian can argue otherwise. He also collaborated with Alexandre Arnault, the CEO of Rimowa, to make mini luggage pieces that were shaped as briefcases.
The set design was in collaboration with Daniel Arsham, an American artist who takes everyday items and imagines them as geological finds of the future. The ideas of a futuristic society played into the clothing of the collection. Ashram crafted gorgeous decaying sculptures of the Dior logo and Dior clocks for the show with crystals popping out of them. In a surprising twist, the Dior Homme models walked on sand that gradually turned into a stunning gradient ombre from hot pink to white. The collection was reminiscent of a fashion-forward future, similar to a Mad Max world.
The unique and collaborative approach that Jones takes with his collections shows that he is willing to let others contribute to the brand, and he does not shy away from that. He gives credit where credit is due, unlike many prominent designers who steal from lesser-known artists. He has previously collaborated with KAWS to create the set design and for accessories, and 1017 ALYX 9SM for his first collection at Dior.
Kim Jones’ creative ability has brought people across the board to his shows, regardless of what brand they hail from. His five most recent Dior Homme shows have many high profile models, celebrities, and industry legends as attendees such as Takashi Pom, Kid Cudi, Naomi Campbell, J Balvin, Kate Moss, the Beckham family, Lenny Kravitz, Karl Lagerfeld, and countless others.