Jonathan Anderson's anticipated Dior womenswear debut was an extraordinary mashup of past and future, heralding a new era for the iconic Parisian house
Stepping into the Dior spring/summer 2026 show was like stepping into the future. The minimalistic show space, nestled within the opulent palace at the Tuileries Garden, was centred around a dystopian inverted glass pyramid evoking another Parisian monument, the Louvre (the concept was designed by filmmaker Luca Guadagnino). Sat front row was Jennifer Lawrence, Charlize Theron and Mikey Madison (all Oscar-winners), waiting with bated breath to take in creative director Jonathan Anderson’s womenswear debut.
But first, a look back. Anderson kicked off his major moment by paying homage to the house’s storied past. Projected on that aforementioned pyramid, the short film, created by British documentary filmmaker Adam Curtis, spliced together vintage horror films and moments from Dior’s history (taking the reigns at such a beloved institution must, indeed, be horrifying, even for a designer as deft and self-assured as Anderson), all hauntingly set to Lana del Rey’s “Born to Die”.
And then came the first look. Just as the table-setting suggested, Anderson’s Dior is a stunning mashup (a Frankenstein, to make a horror reference) of past and future. ‘The New Look’, gets, well, a new look by way of a micro-mini hemline and sweet cropped jacket, an exaggerated bustle giving way to a fresh shape. Ladylike bows are blown up to massive proportions, warped into a structured bell-like dress that makes its wearer appear as a 3D-printed doll. Elsewhere, the codes introduced by Anderson’s Dior menswear debut earlier this summer – those romantic high-necked blouses, tied at the throat and those modern pleated bustles that cascade from the rear – reappeared. Also hopping into the mix, bunny-ear stilettos sure to appear on the feet of every It girl and fashionista.
But perhaps the boldest statements were the simplest; micro mini leather and denim, the latter met with gorgeously tailored “how-did-he-do-that” blazers. A denim shirt met with a sculptural skirt with yet another massive bow. The crushed pointed hats, sure to be on the wishlist of every stylist, are at once historic and dystopian.
That opening film ominously stated “Do you dare enter / The house of the Dior”. Not only does Anderson dare to enter, he dares to make himself at home.
