Ever since Kim Jones took to the helm of Dior Mens, we have become accustomed to seeing art splashed all over the Dior runway. In fact, when it’s fashion season, we often find ourselves especially looking out for the Dior shows just to see what arty treats are parading down the runway. Kim is pretty well connected when it comes to the art world, so let us break it down for you!
His Childhood Interest In Art
In an interview with Sotheby’s, Kim explains that one of the first artist’s that he was a fan of was Andy Warhol – who was one of the first artists he ever bought. He was also interested in the Bloomsbury Group because he grew up near Charleston Farmhouse – Vanessa Bell’s country home – in the English countryside.
His Collaboration With KAWS
KAWS was Kim’s first collaboration at Dior, who created a sculpture of his BFF character made out of roses and peonies for the Spring/Summer 2019 show in Paris. On top of this, KAWS also reinterpreted Dior’s bee logo too, which were incorporated into the garments and accessories too.
The Fembot At The Pre-Fall 2019 Tokyo Dior Show
At the Dior Homme Pre-Fall 2019 runway show, Kim enlisted the help of artist Hajime Sorayama to really shake up the catwalk by putting a fembot right at its centre. The sculpture was completely ahead of its time and stood at a towering 12-metre high. In addition, Dior released sneakers featuring Sorayama’s iconic artwork.
The Auction He Curated For Sotheby’s
In March 2020 Kim curated an auction for Sotheby’s Contemporary, selecting works by the likes of George Condo, David Hockney and Cindy Sherman, proving that he’s just as influential in the art game.
His Own Art Collection
Kim has said that he collects for love, and his personal collection includes works by Derek Jarman, Picasso, Peter Beard and Danny Lyon. Sometimes he even posts sneak peaks of his collection on IG too!
His Similarities To Christian Dior Himself
Just like the O.G. Mr Dior, Kim is passionate about relationships between fashion and artists. Christian Dior was actually a gallerist before he became a couturier. In the way that Dior worked with Picasso and Dali, Kim works with KAWS and Daniel Arsham, two true visionaries!
The Collab With Daniel Arsham
Dior Mens and Daniel Arsham worked together on eroded set designs for a 2020 show. Subsequently, Dior and Arsham released eroded versions of Christian’s Dior’s favourite items which included an eroded Dior clock and an eroded Dior telephone.
The Raymond Pettibon Pieces
In September 2019, Dior Mens and Raymond Pettibon produced a shirt inspired by Leonardo’s Mona Lisa. A watercolour version of the masterpiece was printed on a number of pieces to form a super artified collection.
Dior X Amoako Boafo
For the Dior Mens 2021 summer presentation Kim presented a collection called A Portrait Of An Artist in collaboration with Amoako Boafo. Even the prelude to the show was all about art, with Kim showing a video of the artist painting in his studio in Miami.
The Latest Peter Doig Collection
In January Dior Mens presented a gorgeous collaboration with Peter Doig, perhaps one of the most successful artists of our time at auction. The show’s invitation was really lovely, featuring a painting made by Doig of Christian Dior in an outfit designed and made by Pierre Cardin for a masked ball, making sure that both the art and fashion worlds were definitely tuned in for the presentation.
His Collab With Kenny Scharf
For the Fall 2021 mens collection for Dior, Kim featured a series of super fun looks made in collaboration with the iconic Kenny Scharf. It was full of prints and patterns, providing the perfect antidote to a difficult 2020!
Text Lizzy Vartanian
