MIAMI, FLORIDA – DECEMBER 03: Models walk the runway at Dior Men’s Pre-Fall 2020 Runway Show on December 03, 2019 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

For Kim Jones’ first runway, romanticism was met with street icons. Next, futurism and hardware were the cues of Dior. And now, for the occasion of Art Basel Miami and Pre-Fall 2020, the celebrated designer has turned the cold-weather notion of dressing on its head for a vibrant collection teeming with floral-adorned bucket hats, psychedelic knitwear and intricate prints.

Held across the street from the new Rubell Museum in Allapattah, the apt venue for such an event was emblazoned with an ombre of sunshine yellow, striking green and deep blue and a fresh iteration of the Dior logo, created in collaboration with Shawn Stussy. Seemingly drawing from the eternal vibrancy of the relaxed beach-side city, it was as if the heritage brand had been submerged into another era of fashion. And for the collaborative designer who surfaced out of retirement for the opportunity, it was the perfect “last hurrah”. As always, the guest list was a plethora of A-list celebrities and included the likes of David Beckham and DJ Khaled as well as Kim and Kourtney Kardashian.

New dior is still old dior 

For the main man, Kim Jones, despite the collection’s strong connectedness to a sense of resort wear, the designer is always focussed on the house’s three codes: elegance, couture and tailoring. However, revealing an almost ‘never done before’ approach to the collection, the “tutti-frutti colourways” that play hero for Pre-Fall 2020 are inspired by Miami’s Art Deco architecture, while soft tailoring and luxury essentials are still the underlying foundation.

MIAMI, FLORIDA – DECEMBER 03: A model walks the runway at Dior Men’s Pre-Fall 2020 Runway Show on December 03, 2019 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

The rumours are true…

Last week, the internet nearly blew as rumours surfaced surrounding a collaborative sneaker between Dior and Jordan Brand. Much to the excitement of sneaker heads, the rumours are in fact true and the result is better than we hoped for. Giving a luxury treatment to the Air Jordan 1 High OG, the Dior iteration made its debut on the Pre-Fall 2020 runway. Presented in a pale grey and white colour way, the Dior monogram has been emblazoned onto the iconic swoosh for a subtle, however very chic addition to the basketball-inspired silhouette.

The move to collaborate with Jordan Brand was a nod to Dior’s history of working with America – which ultimately propelled the French fashion house into mainstream style.

bucket hats, bucket hats, bucket hats

The bucket hat was possibly the biggest comeback trend of 2018. Resurfacing with further street appeal, high-street and luxury brands jumped on the bandwagon. Though, when the trend seemingly plateaued this side of 2019, the bucket hat was facing an untimely death – that is, until Dior welcomed it back. Among a sea of berets, the bucket hat was reimagined as if it was pulled from the retirement villages of Florida. Drawing from the same colourful logo print that plays hero to the entirety of the collection, the hats sees the addition of 3D florals and further embellishments. The same floral arrangements were again reflected on the lapels of blazers.

We’ll have one of each colour, please!

MIAMI, FLORIDA – DECEMBER 03: A model, hat detail, walks the runway at Dior Men’s Pre-Fall 2020 Runway Show on December 03, 2019 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

it’s all in the technique

When partnering with Shawn Stussy – the brains behind the namesake streetwear label – the now-retired designer wanted to continue the focus of couture and hand-made technique Dior is so famously known for. After submitting the theme artwork for the runway, it was then translated onto pieces that demanded 2,600 hours of hand-beading while the house outsourced unique Japanese printing processes to create marble-like effects. Unlike some collaborations seen in today’s fast fashion whirlpool, it hones in on luxury technique, something Stussy found a deep appreciation for.

“That’s what intrigued me, is when he started talking about taking my kind of iconic art work and putting it into these couture methods,” Stussy recalled. “I have zero interest in going and printing some $40 USD T-shirts, but to do this was really an eye opener.”

MIAMI, FLORIDA – DECEMBER 03: A model, bag and hat detail, walks the runway at Dior Men’s Pre-Fall 2020 Runway Show on December 03, 2019 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)