November 27, 2025 |
Dior menswear fall 2026 – Jonathan Anderson’s first pre-collection as creative director – reads as a clear extension of the ideas he introduced for the spring/summer 2026 season. Those Delft cargo shorts for one (a redesign of the original 1948 Delft dress), are reimagined in longer forms, painted with coats of arms in contrasting colours. Throughout, the focus is on history, but it’s handled with a fresh, direct touch. Think Medieval heraldry meeting 18th-century detailing, formality colliding with prep and a result that feels more grounded than theatrical.
Anderson leans on the house’s archive with confidence: the Bar jacket appears with a lighter attitude, the Delft shorts sit beside frockcoats and tailcoats and everyday pieces – rugby shirts, chinos, striped shirting, knit jumpers (one embroidered with The Very Hungry Caterpillar) and five-pocket denim – are given small updates that bring them into the now. Denim tailcoats stand out as an easy symbol of the Northern Irish designer’s approach: heritage shapes in modern materials. Embellishment is present but controlled, with small embroideries, rococo-style Diorette charms, beetle brooches, bumble bee pendants and those enlarged crests working as prints rather than decoration for decoration’s sake. Meanwhile, British Donegal tweed nods to Dior’s history, while an emphasis on denim brings in a distinctly American edge.
Ultimately, the collection feels young – not at all childish, but deeply open-minded. It encourages dressing as a process rather than a statement, combining old ideas with new habits. Anderson’s arrival signals a shift toward clarity and practicality, with enough personality (and literary references) to keep things interesting. It’s Dior looking forward while acknowledging exactly where it came from.
Photography courtesy of Dior.
