Not just a very talented fashion designer, Kim Jones is a master of collaborations. Whether it’s streetwear labels, contemporary artists or countercultural legends, Kim isn’t afraid to share the eye-popping with a creative expert. For his AW21 collection, British creative director Dior Men teamed up with Scottish painter Peter Doig, arguably one of the best living artists of his generation, best known for his dreamlike portraits of contemporary life. weather.
This is a large deal. Most galleries or museums would kill to get Peter on board, and certainly no other fashion designer could but Kim. The outcome of their partnership was literal, at least. The characters and colors from Peter’s paintings are brought to life on the catwalk in an artist-designed space, with blue sky walls and stacked sound systems blasting out Honey Dijon’s upbeat soundtrack (mix de In the Dark with Annie Clark and Gheringer’s Full Moon, in case you were asking). “I wanted to pick him up, especially because I have a new job [as creative director of Fendi] on which people look more, ”Kim explained over the phone. “I wanted to make sure I put up some for Dior to make it more interesting. My job is to make sure both brands do really well. ”
While fashion-artist collaborations have become de rigueur at most homes, there’s something utterly heartbreaking about how Kim selects the people he wants to invite. to the inner sanctuary at 30 Avenue Montaigne. To begin with, he is usually someone who is terrified and has the work he has personally collected, but it also comes from respect for Christian Dior himself. That’s because long before he was a chouturier, Monsieur Dior was a galler and designer, a member of a café association in Paris with Jean Cocteau and Salvador Dali, and a patron of artists. including Alberto Giacometti, Alexander Calder, Max Ernst and Giorgio di Chirico. Recognizing this, Kim has made artist collaborations a key part of her approach at Dior, similar to her women’s clothing partner, Maria Grazia Chiuri. “It seems relevant to keep the legacy alive,” explained Kim, who exemplifies the full influence of Dior’s unique eateries to finely translate artists’ work into clothing. ” naturally and became a starting point. Peter’s life and personalities will come. through in the collection. ”
In fact, only 45 appearances brought to life the characters and colors of Peter’s paintings with all soft, soft blues and dark mats, along with vibrant jolts of canary yellow, blood orange and true green. The regimental precision of military uniforms – also a hallmark of Peter’s work – ran throughout: elegantly designed frock coats and tunic jackets, sleek cadet climbing trousers and silk camo jacquards that gave Dior that signature. total. “I wanted to move that celebratory side of dress to dressing up, because it feels relevant right now,” Kim said, noting, if anything, that the collection is a riposte to a decorated feel right now. “It’s a response to the strange times we live in and I want to put out hope. That is what Christian Dior stands for: joie de vivre. When everyone is free, we all want to be dressed and go out and live their lives to the fullest. ”
Patrick even made new works of art especially for his collaboration with Dior, his figurative watercolors made for Dior became the basis of colored mohair jumpers – and he even painted directly on a handful of the meat hats made by Stephen Jones, who will eventually be. go up to sell it. “It’s like buying a real piece of art,” Kim said. Elsewhere, some of the outfits that the figures in his paintings make into the collection, such as the red-green-and-yellow sweater worn there Two trees (2017), ended with small baroque brooches and mid-length Stephen’s hats featuring mattresses, berets and hanging hats (which also appeared in that photo). Fine woolen coats, some in Peter’s reimagined jacquards Sweet Way (1990), the garb set up arms with pragmatism and emphasized the idea that, one day soon, we will be getting dressed to go far beyond our front doors. And if we are dressed like this, what could be better?
