FASHION
DIOR’S KIM JONES COLLABORATES WITH ARTIST PETER DOIG
JANUARY 25, 2021
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WORDS
by KRISTOPHER FRASER
PHOTOS
COURTESY of DIOR
The ceremonial garb got a little more artistic and fashionable this season. Dior’s menswear director Kim Jones collaborated with artist Peter Doig to bring a new twist to outerwear and knitwear. The Trinidad-based British artist of Scottish origin is considered a pioneer in the world of contemporary art for the past three decades. Doig’s paintings have been founded in prestigious museums, including the Tate Britain.
Since the early ‘90s, Doig has been re-establishing and reinventing the concept of painting by cross-pollinating inspirations and disciplines such as photography and cinema. His paintings feature fascinating colors and focus on subjects between mankind and nature.
Jones wanted to juxtapose the masculinity of a ceremonial garb against modern extravagance. At the runway show, the entry for every model was truly ceremonial, and pieces featured glorious embroidery and embellishments. Dior described it as a masculine interpretation of couture. The collection also looked to the Dior archives to reinvent elaborate decorations and statement making motifs like covered buttons and details of the famous bar jacket.
Dior Fall/Winter 2021/2022
Jones, Doig and the Dior ateliers collaborated worked to get the captivating hand-painted designs on hats by milliner Stephen Jones. Two animalistic emblems were also created for the collection, a likeness of Christian Dior’s dog Bobby, and a lion that simultaneously recalls characters from Doig’s paintings and a masquerade costume made by Pierre Cardin for Christian Dior in 1949.
Jewelry and belts are embellished with a lion figure sculpted by Doig. Fabrics were used as canvasses to recreate the Night Sky from Doig’s Milky Way paintings. The images featured give the impression of brush stroke painting through embroidery and knitting. Baroque embroideries were used to frame images on garments as if they were paintings.
The collaboration between Kim Jones and Peter Doig extended to the décor of the digital shows, where the stage literally became artwork. An installation devised by Doig featured blue skies and stacked sound systems referenced his artwork Speaker/Girl.
Hello, new art and new looks.
Dior Fall/Winter 2021/2022
