Ambient collections are hard to come by these days. At a time when even the most modest brands are expected to provide captivating concepts and annotated talking points for each collection, Kim Jones’ recent endeavours at Dior Men suggest that the artistic director is slowly receding out of the usual theatrics that is typically associated with most of fashion. A dramatic tonal shift detailing softer, shimmering ideas has been the focus of new releases as he continues to dive deeper into the house’s history — particularly the legacy left behind by founder Monsieur Christian Dior.

Having to alternate between the old and the new, Jones’ work at Dior runs the risk of being tied to its era — either too specific or too naive to resonate in a time of increasingly immediate terror. Yet, the Dior Men narrative remains consistent: albeit intensively progressive in its design, Jones’ creations have never been shocking nor intended to invigorate. The results showcased an invigorating sense of simplicity — achieved through retrofitting the ideas of Monsieur Christian Dior and his original atelier.

Winter 2022 — the first of many collections released in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the house — is a testimony of its history. “I wanted to look at the archive, at the purity of the beginnings of the house, at its original impulse,” elaborates Jones in the show notes. Jones opted for the mundane, and instead of producing a collection that exploded in excitement, tired fabrications of vintage, murky textiles formed its foundations. Winter 2022 was meant to work the same way Dior collections once did. Less shock value and more attention to detail, form and function. Away from the noise of front-page collaborations, it was a daring aim to filter the beauty of couture in a diorama of technical possibilities.

With its 75th anniversary still in action, its follow-up with Summer 2023 takes the audience beyond the original action of gardening and studies Monsieur Christian Dior’s reference points instead — his home. Unlike Winter 2022’s darker output, Summer 2023 takes us to Normandy and Granville — the birthplace of Monsieur Dior and the home of his legendary gardens — and injects the colours and their essence throughout. Its updates are minor but crucial. A couple of tricky conceptual breakdowns sourced from Duncan Grant — whose painting more than makes up in enthusiasm for the collection — treat their formative influences with evangelical reverence and transpose a lightness to the delivery of the new work.

“Granville and Sussex have a similar climate; the weather, the light and the garden tie one place to the other. For both Christian Dior and Duncan Grant, their homes, their gardens and their private environments were so important for their creativity. It was these meaningful, private spheres that were translated into their work and became public. Here, we are mixing the utilitarian, natural and gardening elements with stylised, luxurious, new look facets and Duncan’s grant artworks in the collection — the private and the public together. There is an idea of the passage of time, the changing weather and light of the seasons, as well as continue, artistic communities and the legacy of the House of Dior.”

The House of Dior is a ship steered by many captains, all ambitious to bring something new to the table yet plagued with preserving the intentions of Monsieur Dior. No one ever has the same handwriting, but no one came as close as Jones did. It is as if while other artistic directors were troubled by his ghost, his enigma, Jones appears to be the living reincarnation of Monsieur Dior himself. Just like a mattress starting to stiffen, you might think it is timely for a new one. But with Summer 2023, Jones suggests an occasional flip to the other side — because you should never throw away something that already works.

Once you’re done with this story, click here to catch up with the rest of our April 2023 issue.