This presentation for Spring/Summer 2023 represents a journey in space and time from Paris to the countryside, to Normandy and Granville, the birthplace of Dior and home to its legendary garden, as well as to Sussex and Charleston, the country residence of Bloomsbury Group artist Duncan Grant. Once again, personal stories are intertwined throughout the collection, connecting the past with the present and the future of the house; from the creative media of the past to their influence on the current ones.
“Granville and Sussex have a similar climate; the climate, the light and the garden tie one place to another. For both Christian Dior and Duncan Grant, their houses, their gardens and their private surroundings were very important to their creativity. It was these private and significant spheres that were translated into his work and made public. Here we mix utilitarian, natural and garden elements with stylized, luxurious facets and new look facets and Duncan Grant artwork in the collection: the private and the public together. There is an idea of the passage of time, the change of climate and the light of the seasons, as well as continuity, artistic communities and the legacy of the house of Dior”, Kim Jones, artistic director of Dior men’s collections.
The changing light and mutability of the natural environment are reflected in the collection’s color palette, from gradation of dior greys, pinks and pastels, to utilitarian gardening, walking and fishing, with greens and blues. they are all employed with a certain well-bred rebellion; nonchalance in clothing and accessories, at once extravagant and practical, formal and informal, that betray a layering of history, yet effortlessly evoke a contemporary existence.
claiming cashmereDouble-breasted, tailored coats are paired with tailored shorts in 1930s fabrics, with integrated belts and walking shoes. The new bar jackets continue, made of semi-transparent silk organza, to reveal the strict and traditional masculine construction of the undergarments; long cotton coats are draped casually over reflective tech vests; Duncan Grant’s Lily Pond screen.
Clever nonchalance coupled with elegant practicality also produces effortless everyday luxury in the collection’s bags and footwear, highlighting the complexity of the design process behind both.
(Images courtesy Dior)