Jonathan Anderson's Dior Homme debut does not disappoint
Jonathan Anderson unveiled his debut collection for Dior Homme today in Paris and for fans of the designer and the storied fashion house, it did not disappoint.
Northern Irish designer Anderson is fashion's hottest property right now and had been given an unprecedented responsibility at Dior with creative oversight of both menswear and womenswear.
Dior Homme Menswear Spring/Summer 2026 (Photo by Estrop/Getty Images)
Having turned another LVMH house, the once quiet and restrained Loewe, into a fashion and cultural powerhouse, the expectations were high for what he could do at Dior with the strong history and design codes of the house to reference.
Dior Homme Menswear Spring/Summer 2026 (Photo by Estrop/Getty Images)
The result was a collection that paid homage to Dior with lots of tweed and several riffs on the signature Bar jacket – typically seen in women's collections – reimagined for men. Instead of the full circle knee-length skirt that completed Dior's signature New Look silhouette, Anderson paired his men's Bar jackets (subtly nipped in at the waist) with voluminous cargo shorts. This idea of duality with more formal top halves paired with casual bottom halves was a recurring theme.
Dior Homme Menswear Spring/Summer 2026 (Photo by Estrop/Getty Images)
Capes, cravats and neck-ties were everywhere complementing dressed up and dressed down looks. Expect to see cool men about town pairing slightly undone ties with casual looks this autumn as Anderson has done here under v-neck sweaters (adorned the with new/old Dior lower case logo) paired with relaxed jeans or shorts.
The footwear was always going to be a strong point and Anderson delivered with skate shoes, slouchy sneakers (in low and high top styles) and chunky loafers that borrowed heavily from the Loewe Campo round toe silhouette, but that was Anderson's design, so why not? It somehow looked more elevated and elegant with the Dior branding. There were also smart suede, logo-emblazoned slippers and fisherman-style sandals
Dior Homme Menswear Spring/Summer 2026 (Photo by Estrop/Getty Images)
Bags were cool with capacious satchels featuring the signature oblique motif, first introduced by Marc Bohan in 1967, very much in evidence. The Book Tote, conceived by former womenswear design chief Maria Grazia Chiuri, has been given a makeover for me, featuring the covers of famous works of literature, such as Les Fleurs du Mal by Charles Baudelaire and In Cold Blood by Truman Capote.
Dior Homme Menswear Spring/Summer 2026 (Photo by Estrop/Getty Images)
There was a distinctly British, slightly dishevelled aristocrat feel to the collection and, yes, it did feel as much about Anderson as it did about Dior. But isn't that the point? LVMH wanted him and it turns out on evidence so far, that they made a very smart move indeed: Anderson and Dior look good together. This is stylish, fresh and, crucially, highly commercial. Cannot wait for the women's in September.
