‘Dior is back:’ Menswear turns a corner in Paris as Jonathan Anderson hones his vision

Dior’s menswear show in Paris marked a decisive return to form for the luxury brand as new creative director Jonathan Anderson delivered a confident collection that earned enthusiastic approval from industry insiders. After earlier runway presentations that left some questioning his direction, Wednesday’s show at an annex of the Rodin Museum displayed a clear vision and authority that silenced doubts.

The stripped-back setting allowed the clothes to take center stage, with models sporting attention-grabbing neon-yellow wigs that symbolized the designer’s renewed confidence. The high-profile audience included celebrities Robert Pattinson, Lewis Hamilton, and SZA, underscoring the show’s importance on the fashion calendar.

“Dior is back. It’s a good day for fashion,” remarked one front-row attendee, capturing the sentiment that permeated the venue.

Anderson, the 41-year-old Northern Irish designer who transformed Loewe into one of luxury’s most coveted labels, presented a collection that felt focused and purposeful. Where his previous Dior outings sometimes appeared as collections of disconnected ideas, this presentation offered a coherent narrative with sharp silhouettes and a grounded aesthetic.

The designer’s signature gender-fluid approach remained evident but was anchored with traditionally masculine elements like substantial boots and small-heeled lace-ups, creating a balanced tension that showcased his distinctive style while respecting Dior’s heritage.

Outerwear emerged as the collection’s standout feature, with sublime coats forming the backbone of the presentation. Anderson subtly referenced one of Dior’s most sacred codes—the Bar jacket and New Look silhouette—with delicate curves at the hip and structural elements that evoked the house’s postwar hourglass shape without resorting to literal interpretation.

The collection’s success arrives at a crucial moment for Dior, one of LVMH’s flagship brands and a cornerstone of the conglomerate’s fashion and leather goods division. The luxury sector currently faces challenging market conditions, with LVMH competitor Kering struggling with prolonged sales declines at Gucci. With several major Kering brands absent from Paris Fashion Week’s official menswear and couture schedules, attention has focused squarely on LVMH’s premier houses.

Anderson’s appointment represents a significant strategic shift for Dior. Following Maria Grazia Chiuri’s tenure, which ended last year to mixed critical reception, he became the first designer in the house’s modern history to oversee women’s ready-to-wear, haute couture, and menswear simultaneously—an unprecedented consolidation of creative direction.

The brand’s show notes described the collection’s characters as modern flâneurs—aristocratic youth wandering Paris streets, making new connections with couture history. References to Paul Poiret, a designer known for fluid forms and eclectic influences, highlighted Anderson’s aim to reconcile seemingly contradictory elements: Dior formality with casual denim and parkas, traditional tailoring with technical outerwear, and historical references with contemporary sensibilities.

These contrasts were most successful when expressed through construction rather than mere aesthetics. The tailoring featured slender, precise silhouettes—elongated jackets, dramatically shrunken blazers, tailcoats, cropped Bar jackets, and lean trousers. The outerwear masterfully balanced practicality and drama, including bombers that flowed into brocade capes, field jackets with balloon backs, and enveloping coats.

The collection maintained a predominantly somber palette, which effectively highlighted statement elements like the yellow wigs and glittering glam-rock epaulettes that suggested Anderson’s growing confidence at Dior’s helm. Accessories reinforced this approach, with small-heeled lace-ups and loafers providing groundedness while blurring traditional gender lines.

In the end, the bold wigs made the statement while the clothes spoke with quiet authority—a sign that Anderson may have found his footing at one of fashion’s most prestigious houses.