Fashion as spectacle. That was the brief French luxury maison Dior planned to deliver for its recent Men’s Fall 2023 collection presentation – and, oh boy, did it do just that.
Sensing that the world has been starved of a good, old-fashion, major blockbuster, Kim Jones’ Dior Men’s showed the way with a headline-capturing showcase that will go a long way to reset the course of fashion’s immediate future.
For thousands of years the Great Pyramids of Giza have been a spectacle. The scale, the majesty and the sheer mystery of one of humankind’s greatest accomplishments still continues to lure people from every corner of the world centuries later. It is equal parts spectacular in ambition and execution – the same could be said for Dior’s menswear show.
With Cairo’s iconic pyramids as a backdrop, close to 800 guests – including Robert Pattinson, Naomi Campbell and former Esquire Middle East coverstars Lewis Hamilton, Mena Massoud, Dhafer L’Abidine – were flown to Egypt for the first-ever fashion show held at the location.
The location was chosen by men’s artistic director Kim Jones, but rather than it being pastiche of historical Egyptian symbology, the feel of the event was more of future-focused science-fiction. According to the show notes, Jones’ inspiration came from the ancient culture’s long-standing relationship with the stars and the celestial. “My interest in ancient Egypt is about the stars and the sky,” he explained. “What we inherited from them and what we are still learning from the past.”
With that in mind the show, entitled Guided By The Stars, was an homage to both ancient and modern civilisations – the styling aesthetic and vernacular both futuristic and archival. The collection sent out was inspired by Egyptian astrology (richly embroidered couture tunics), mixed with sci-fi references (futuristic armour, ski boots, and Halo-inspired astronaut helmets).
A times the aesthetic perhaps lent a little towards the functional and ceremonial dress sense of Dune’s fictional desert planet of Arrakis, however, that particular strand of utility and decorum also drew a link to the codes of Dior, both from the archives and the present day.
The fashion world has been embroiled in some serious soul searching over the past few years. Whether in the form of a systematic look at sustainable work practices and responsible sourcing, to a pandemic-prompted flirt with ‘phygital’ showcases to both embrace the digital world and reduce the carbon footprint of major international shows, that fantastic blockbuster spectacle element seemed lacking. Thanks to Dior Men, not anymore.
