Welcome to the House Party
Review of Dior Spring 2027 Men’s Fashion Show
By Angela Baidoo
Jonathan Anderson’s Dior woman still feels as if she is evolving from her chrysalis state, into something slowly unfolding into a solidified vision. Although last season’s outing was widely received as another positive step in her journey with a softer, more astutely feminine collection. The Dior Man, for spring 2027, was in the opposite state, having finally emerged as his fully formed self.
The first thing to note about today’s menswear collection – the creative directors fouth for the House – was the necessity for a last-minute schedule change due to the high temperatures the city is experiencing. A topic I spoke to at the beginning of this week following the earlier warning signs from Milan. Shifting from the planned afternoon slot (when the heat would have been at its most oppressive), to a more manageable morning show meant guests could focus on Anderson’s spring collection that felt more easeful and self-assured. As if the designer had completed his search for his Dior man and was ready to build on a foundation that felt on firmer ground.
THE COLLECTION
THE VIBE
Party Classics, Louche Luxury, A Firm Foundation
For spring Anderson shifted gears from the glitz and historical pageantry (apt for the season) of his fall collection, to an offering that met the moment and its call for a lighter touch. The looks today felt as if they had room to breathe, or to put it another way had an easy-breezy way about them that will feel instantly accessible.
Social media teasers and the show’s invite of a jet-black disco ball were highly suggestive, yet open to interpretation. Was the designer hinting that – having survived the first few tumultuous seasons in one of the most coveted roles in luxury fashion – it was time to party? Or the casual come-as-you-are dress codes of the house party were on his mind? Or, feeling like the menswear part of the equation has been resolved, he was in a celebratory mood, and we were all invited to join the festivities? Whether it was one, two or all three scenarios the Dior man was ready to come out and play.
The menswear arm of the fashion house has only played host to three predecessors – Hedi Slimane who ushered in a significant cultural moment for the male silhouette, Kris Van Assche who brought in club kid culture and collegiate codes, while Kim Jones rode the streetwear wave and broke down barriers across tailoring, utility, and couture-level finesse. Now it is Jonathan Andersons turn at the helm and having raided the archives once again he presented a collection that could take the wearer from night to day and on until breakfast.
The designers opening looks unfurled when the first model descended from the well-worn staircase of the Musée Nissim de Camondo and plugged his iPhone into a speaker to get the proverbial party started with a soundtrack compiled by British DJ Fred again, for nights that turn to days when no one wants to leave. There were longline ‘night’ shirts, coats with elongated shawl collars reminiscent of dressing gowns and the garment-dyed utility cotton pyjamas that were a very clever update that managed to reinvent a long-disregarded closet staple. And the updates kept coming as Anderson turned his attention to the party-ready pant, skinny silhouettes that were coated with silver and gold glitter or rendered in metallic exotic skins. Could the designer make the statement pant become one of the Dior Men’s calling cards?
Setting aside that a certain level of perfection is expected within his womenswear collections, today there was an unexpected exploration of the undone. These clothes felt much more lived in and accessible with their frayed edges, unravelled hems and distressed denim. There were even, what looked like sheepskin slippers, added into the accessories assortment for those who wanted to make themselves at home in Jonathan Anderson’s ‘House’.
THE WRAP UP
The relaxed nature of this collection is what gave it its edge, from the feather-light sheer suiting – again coinciding with the trending topic of aerated tailoring to face into a heating planet – to the trompe l’oeil pussy bow blouses derived from discarded decorative experimentations from the archive and the deconstructed tuxedos.
There were some areas where the design codes of Anderson’s namesake label or the echoes of his previous tenure came through in a certain cut or styling reference. So, it will be up to the designer to continue to search the archives for more than decorative elements that can be reworked into surface-level details, there needs to be a further push into the establishing of some key men’s silhouettes that can become synonymous with the House and his time there. The ‘Delft dress’ inspired cargo shorts were one such example, as was his take on the Bar jacket. It is still early in the Anderson era to predict what those pieces will be, so it will be interesting to watch in anticipation what the designer turns up from the archives and transforms into part of his legacy.
