At Dior, Kim Jones Debuts a Dramatic New Approach
Dior Men's Winter 2025/26 collection should be the work of a newly rejuvenated Kim Jones. Three months ago, the British designer left his role at Fendi to concentrate fully on his responsibilities as Dior Men’s creative director (or, at least, that was the official line).
And certainly, the new-found time and attention he can give to Dior led to a change in approach. In terms of color alone, this is a far more reserved, stark palette than that we’re used to seeing from Kim Jones at Dior.
The mood was set early. Against dramatic orchestral music, three black looks emerged in succession; all sharply tailored, two with black ribbons obscuring the model’s eyes, and one with gloriously flowy trousers, tightly cinched with a high waist.
While last season skewed toward the casual, this was anything but.
The inspiration for this season was Christian Dior’s Fall/Winter 1954 collection, titled H Line, which aimed to create the illusion of a longer silhouette. Through sculptural shapes and exaggerated volumes, Jones immediately referenced that couture collection.
Sprinkled among the largely all-black opening looks were hits of pale pink, providing a feminine touch alongside bows and silky, blouse-like tops. Then the colors shifted into off-white, navy, brown, and gray. There were few flourishes of bright color and no eye-catching prints, as we’ve normally seen from Jones.
While these clothes aren’t entirely unfamiliar — we’ve seen Jones skilfully toy with tailoring and reference Dior’s couture legacy in the past — they have always come with a subtle nod to streetwear (a fun sneaker, a graphic print, or a big-name collaboration that provides a less formal edge). Here, that nod is so subtle it barely exists.
The hint of casualness that usually comes with a Kim Jones collection was hardly present. And it made for a striking presentation.
The reasons behind this change in aesthetics? There is some gossip circulating about that. The fashion industry’s ever-hardworking rumor mill has been claiming that Jones is on the way out of Dior since 2023. And once again, talk on the ground is that this was his final Dior show.
If this show truly is Jones’ big farewell to Dior, then it’s a dramatic one.
