Dior’s history of ballet-inspired collections is well-known among the brand’s devoted enthusiasts. The Dior Spring Summer 2019 collection, for instance, featured a captivating performance by professional ballet dancers adorned in exquisite costumes. The influence of this dance has extended to Dior’s Men’s Winter 2024-25 collection as well.
Accompanied by Max Richter’s music, the presentation revisited Sergei Prokofiev’s The Dance of the Knights. This collection serves as a tribute to Monsieur Dior’s profound connection with ballet, evoking memories of his association with Margot Fonteyn and her partner Rudolf Nureyev.
The couture silhouettes pay homage to Mr. Nureyev’s extravagant stage presence and his private affinity for antique textiles. The Nureyev and dance training-inspired ensembles feature zipped wool jumpsuits and shorts, paired with high socks and snug ribbed knits.
A remarkable silver Uchikake kimono (a highly formal kimono only worn on weddings or for stage performances), adorned with prestigious Hikihaku (an ancient Japanese technique of weaving with precious threads), required the expertise of ten skilled artisans over three months for its completion. Shoes are reminiscent of dancing slippers, perhaps with added masculine elements or unique designs.
“The collection, or rather collections, are about contrast: the contrasts in the House of Dior in terms of ready-to-wear and haute couture. It’s the difference between onstage and backstage; the life of Nureyev theatrically and in reality. Here it is a meeting of the dancer’s style with that of the Dior archive,” Kim Jones, the Artistic Director at Dior, said.
The gentle palette of grays and beiges is invigorated by splashes of pink and blue in the collection.
In a harmonious convergence of ballet’s poetic movements and Dior’s sartorial artistry, the Men Winter 2024-25 collection pays homage to the dance form’s grace. From the subtle nods in flowing lines to the rich tribute to Mr. Nureyev’s legacy, the collection seamlessly created an enchanting narrative in the vibrant tapestry of Dior’s history.
