Jonathan Anderson Unveils Debut Dior Haute Couture Collection at Musée Rodin
Voluminous silhouettes and architectural collars mirror the ceramic works of artist Magdalene Odundo.
Summary
- Jonathan Anderson’s first haute couture collection for Dior pays homage to former creative director John Galliano
- The collection softens rigid archival silhouettes with fluid tulle and sculptural knitwear, creating a high-low dialogue inspired by artist Magdalene Odundo
Rooted in the natural world, this couture collection reimagines Dior’s past through the lens of Jonathan Anderson’s iconoclasm. Anderson grounded his couture debut in the Musée Rodin merely days after presenting his second menswear collection at Dior. The new creative director paid homage to his hero, John Galliano, who worked as the Maison’s creative director for 15 years. Recalling a childhood memory of trying to cold-call Galliano and ending up reaching a taxi service instead, Anderson emphasized the influence this former Dior designer had on his trajectory, stating, “For me in the modern-day world, he is Dior.”
The collection challenges traditional couture boundaries while celebrating Dior’s craftsmanship. Channeling the spirit of Maison’s signature archival pieces such as Aurore and Nuit de Grenade, Anderson softened their architecture by infusing fluid tulle forms—a move that firmly stamps his contemporary design language onto the house codes. He also engages in a visual dialogue with the ceramic works of artist Magdalene Odundo, mirrored in the collection’s architectural collars and voluminous silhouettes. In other standout looks, he paired embroidered skirts with the quiet insouciance of sheer ribbed tanks, a high-low friction that elevated humble knitwear to art.
This couture collection also features a heavy emphasis on accessories, including leather bags, silk satin clutches, and loafers crafted from 18th-century textiles, as well as hand-painted aluminum jewelry — all showcased at the newly opened Dior Villa salon for the brand’s VICs.
