Dior
Dior Winter 2021 / Credit: Afredo Piola

Art and fashion have always run parallel to one another, intersecting at times of great style. Perhaps that is why Kim Jones continues to drive the helm of Dior Menswear with the world’s most celebrated artists close by. Spring/Summer 2021 saw a collaboration with Ghanaian-born artist, Amoako Boafo and Fall 2021 with Kenny Scharf. This season, the lauded designer has fused the iconic Dior house codes with Scottish-born, Trinidad-based artist Peter Doig.

“The ceremony of the everyday” is the cornerstone for Winter 2021-22 and draws inspiration from the masculine extravagance of ceremonial garb. It is a far cry from the relaxed, stay-at-home silhouettes the runway has introduced amid Paris Men’s Fashion Week. Instead, Dior has leaned into a sense of glamour; a sense of fashionable escapism.

Dior
Dior Winter 2021 / Credit: Brett Lloyd

The collection of “uniforms” as described within the show notes harness heavy embroidery and embellishments – notably inspired by the Académie De Beaux-Arts – and offers a masculine interpretation of haute couture. In a nod to the heritage of the house, Dior motifs are renewed and reinvented in small details such as the buttons pulled from the original and iconic Bar Jacket.

Dior
Dior Winter 2021 / Credit: Dior

The work of Peter Doig permeates through Winter 2021 via a number of subtleties. While the artist did not conceptualise any motifs – unlike Shawn Stussy for Fall 2020 – but worked by hand on a selection of wool felt hats by Stephen Jones. The hand-painted pieces are reflective of key memories and connections to Dior. It features a likeness of Christian Dior’s dog Bobby crossed between a lion that is often seen with Doig’s paintings as well as a masquerade costume made by Pierre Cardin for Christian Dior in 1949.

Dior
Dior Winter 2021 / Credit: Afredo Piola

The collaboration between Jones and Doig also extends onto the runway with installations representing key works from the artist including Speaker/Girl (2015).

Unlike some past collections, tailoring takes the forefront of looks albeit with a relaxed approach. Pants are baggy and bunch around the ankles while outerwear strikes a balance between stiff military-esque shapes and relaxed trench coats and knitwear. The lauded Saddle Bag makes a regular appearance as does more oversized shopping totes. Footwear arrives in the form of shin-grazing boots, hiking-style iterations and chunky skate sneakers. While art and couture collide, Kim Jones still manages to create wearable pieces.

Watch the full presentation below.