June 2, 2025 |
Rumours that have swirled for months are finally a reality: Jonathan Anderson is the new creative director of Dior womenswear. This follows his appointment to the helm of the maison’s menswear arm in April, making him the first creative director since Monsieur Dior, to head up all of Dior’s ateliers: womenswear, menswear and couture. Anderson will succeed both Maria Grazia Chiuri and Kim Jones, and will present his first menswear collection in June before making his womenswear debut in September.
A monumental appointment for Anderson, Dior is traditionally led by two designers, one for women’s and one for men’s, which in the past has included the likes of Raf Simons, John Galliano, Hedi Slimane and Kris Van Assche.
In a statement, Anderson said: “It is a great honor to join the House of Dior as Creative Director of both women’s and men’s collections. I have always been inspired by the rich history of this House, its depth, and empathy. I look forward to working alongside its legendary Ateliers to craft the next chapter of this incredible story. I would like to express my sincere thanks to Bernard Arnault and Delphine Arnault for their trust and loyalty over the years.”
If there was ever to be someone to take on the epic task of leading both arms of one of luxury’s biggest players, it’s maverick Anderson. Since launching his label JW Anderson in 2008, the Northern Irish designer has proven himself to be one of fashion’s most divine experimentalists, carving himself into a shining industry success story over the last two decades. A graduate from London College of Fashion who trained to be an actor before pivoting to fashion, his namesake brand was an instant critical and commercial hit thanks to Anderson’s ability to dance between gender codes, turning the familiar upside down and inside out.
Early on he caught the attention of British retail giant Topshop which produced an Anderson-designed collection and Donatella Versace, who hired him to design a collection for Versace’s Versus line in 2013. In the same year, LVMH acquired a minority stake in JW Anderson and appointed him creative director of Loewe.
Over the next 10 years, Anderson trasformed the storied leather goods specialist into a near £1 billion company. His vision for the Spanish house has been guided by an immense appreciation of craft in all senses of the word. From his hit Puzzle and Flamenco bags, through to his early collections that were bohemian with quirky flair, Anderson continually championed handwoven and innovative fabrics and experimental silhouettes. He aligned Loewe with the arts world, collaborating with everyone from Lynda Benglis and Anthea Hamilton, to Richard Hawkins and the estate of the late Ken Price on his show sets and collections.
At JW Anderson, the designer also mined the worlds of art and culture, creating collections that featured the works of choreographer Michael Clark, the Tom of Finland Foundation, the late artist and Aids activist David Wojnarowicz and Christiane Kubrick, whose painting featured in her husband’s cult masterpiece, Eyes Wide Shut. The brand has produced a slew of covetable releases, like the Bumper bag and a clutch in the shape of a pigeon that went viral online.
In July of 2024, Loewe was named the hottest brand in the world in Lyst’s Index ranking, having previously topped the list the year prior. Following the pandemic, Loewe’s global reach was maximised thanks to Anderson’s surrealist collections, which featured everything from dresses that looked like cars, stilettoes with balloon-shaped heels and trousers with sky-high waistbands. Equal parts bonkers and brilliant, following the brand’s switch-up in direction, Loewe became a go-to amongst the celebrity elite – dressing both Beyoncé for her global Renaissance tour and creating a bespoke look for Rihanna’s Superbowl halftime show.
A master marketeer, Anderson also cleverly intertwined Loewe with the film world, designing the costumes for Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers and Queer; each press junket playing out like a Loewe catwalk (with many of both film’s stars going on to front Loewe campaigns, alongside a slew of other rising Hollywood stars like Ayo Edebiri and Greta Lee).
A highly decorated designer, Anderson has one womenswear, menswear and designer of the year awards at the British Fashion Awards (2015 and 2024) and international designer of the year at the CDFA Awards in 2023. He is also on the board of trustees at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum.
Delphine Arnault, chair and CEO of Christian Dior Couture, said, “Over the last 11 years that he has been at LVMH, we have had many discussions about what he wanted to do next. And there was always one brand he was very attracted to. We think this is the right moment to make this appointment. He is the most talented designer of his generation. He has great experience within the LVMH Group and in managing large teams through his work at Loewe, even though he is only 40. More importantly, he has a very clear vision for the brand.”
A massive congratulations to Jonathan! A bright new era awaits.
Photography Courtesy of Loewe.
