Life – Celebrated

The Dior Men’s Autumn/Winter 2020 collection by creative director Kim Jones that pays tribute to the life, work and extraordinary vision of Judy Blame.

BY JOHN NG

For the Dior Men’s Autumn/Winter 2020 collection, Kim Jones offers a view of the future by exploring past and present iconographic archives of the Maison. Additionally, the creative director also delves into Dior’s rich haute couture history all the while honouring his chief inspiration the late Judy Blame.

A well-established fixture of the early Eighties London club scene, the late British stylist, accessories designer and punk iconoclast was known for his prowess in transcending mundane objects to open the gate to the artistic world. Blame was one of the founding members of The House of Beauty and Culture in Dalston, a unique effervescent gathering place for talented creatives such as Christopher Nemeth, Mark Lebon and Dave Baby. In his later years, Blame collaborated with designers like Rei Kawakubo, Gareth Pugh, Marc Jacobs, and yes, Kim Jones.

Continuing blurring the gender line, the silhouettes illustrate the notion of clothing as a creative process of building a fashion piece as opposed to showcasing the finished products. Details, cuts and engineered zips that enhance the construction of the clothes, shoes and accessories, Christian Dior’s deep affinity for architecture resonates loudly and boldly in the pieces. The Dior logos are pierced with an image of a safety pin, a nod to Blame’s DIY-inspired roots.

The collection, enriched in shades of grey and blue, comes together in silk, embroideries, and the arabesque motifs and paisley patterns. Welcoming a dramatic emotion to the line-up, each look is completed with opera gloves and buttons covered in fabric, alongside riveting plays on volumes, and fickle yet focused depths, pleats, and drapes that reference to couture tailoring techniques.

The mid-20th century, a symbolic crossroad in fashion history, influences the accessories range. Footwear retain their traditional magnetism, a distinct characteristic of Dior’s heritage on leather craftmanship. The Saddle is reinterpreted with considerably more fluid structures as a soft Saddle, reminiscing of graphic briefcases and camera bags. Made in calfskin, the bag is available in subdued palette such as black, camel-vicuna and navy blue, embellished with finely-beaded embroidery.

Dior’s signature Toile de Jouy print, a motif which adorned Christian Dior’s first boutique, get a Blame twist with a pair of graphic intarsia knit sweaters called “Toile de Judy”, designed alongside Trust Judy Blame, a foundation established in Blame’s honour – and draws on the artist’s revolutionary work.

Jewellery, designed by Dior Men’s jewellery designer Yoon Ahn, features a range of metallic chains and charms that hang on coat lapels take cues from Blame’s very own pieces and engraved and embossed with the Dior logo, as well as decorated with cannage or lily of the valley motifs. Referencing to Blame’s punk style, the metal zip hardware embellishes the most unlikely of items such as berets and Chelsea boots. This meaningful and creative conversation between Dior and Judy Blame is testament to the power of savoir-faire, which made this the most eloquent effort yet from Jones at Dior.