Confirmed: Jonathan Anderson to define new era at Dior Men

It’s official: Jonathan Anderson has left his post at Loewe to take the reins at Dior Men, succeeding Kim Jones. After months of speculation and high-profile departures, including Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez’s recent appointments at Loewe, the fashion world now has its answer.

At the LVMH annual shareholders meeting, CEO Bernard Arnault, confirmed that the Irish designer will present his first collection for Dior Men during Paris Fashion Week in June. However, while the announcement focuses on Anderson’s role at Dior Men, the question of whether he will also take over Dior Women, currently helmed by Maria Grazia Chiuri, remains unanswered.

Known for his innovative and gender-defying designs, Anderson, who founded his eponymous label JW Anderson in 2008, has built a reputation for creating whimsical yet refined collections.  In fact, in 2023, he was crowned Designer of the Year at The Fashion Awards.

JW Anderson AW24

The designer’s tenure at Loewe elevated the Spanish house to new heights, with his collaboration with LVMH significantly raising the brand's profile. Under his creative direction, Loewe’s puzzle bags and logo-adorned vests became covetable worldwide, with the brand topping Lyst’s global index.

In March, Anderson announced his departure from the storied house, taking to Instagram writing: "Eleven years ago, I was given the most incredible opportunity: to write a chapter in a story that is now 179 years old... Over the last eleven years, I have been lucky enough to be surrounded by people with the imagination, the skills, tenacity and resourcefulness to find a way to say ‘yes’ to all my wildly ambitious ideas.

"...They say all good things must to come to an end, but I disagree. While my own chapter draws to a close, Loewe’s story will continue for many years to come and I will look on with pride."

Anderson's Loewe Puzzle Bags

Anderson succeeds Kim Jones at Dior Homme, whose final show for Dior Homme in January saw him receive not only endless praise but also France’s highest distinction, the Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur.

At the time, Delphine Arnault, Chairman and CEO of Dior, said in a statement: "I am extremely grateful for the remarkable work done by Kim Jones, his studio, and the ateliers. With all his talent and creativity, he has constantly reinterpreted the house’s heritage with genuine freedom of tone and surprising, highly desirable artistic collaborations."

Now that Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez are tasked with keeping the momentum up at Loewe, Anderson is heading for stardom, taking on rival Chanel and its newly appointed Chief Matthieu Blazy at Dior.