The personal and professional life of legendary Russian ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev was explored in a luxurious juxtaposition of house codes and subtle nods to ballet. Kim Jones also showcased the first menswear couture pieces for the renowned French house.
Dior Menswear Autumn Winter 2024. Photos: Catwalkpix.
Set to the music of Serge Prokofiev’s “Roméo et Juliette, Suite n°2, Op. 64B, The fashion show started with elegant men’s tailoring, featuring a shorts suit paired with an oversized coat, a single-breasted wool suit, and a slim pinstriped coat. The influence of ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev became increasingly evident, starting from the very first look. Dior’s artistic director, Kim Jones, skillfully threaded the professional and personal life of the legendary ballet dancer with the classic house codes.
The initial inspiration stemmed from the work of Kim Jones’ late uncle, Colin Jones, a renowned photojournalist who covered Rudolf Nureyev and created a memorable “day-in-the-life” story for Time Life in 1966. Colin Jones also captured other subjects, including stars like The Who and Mick Jagger, and documented war hotspots.
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It seemed like the perfect theme for Kim Jones to introduce the first-ever Dior men’s couture collection. The designer had pondered the connection between Christian Dior and Margot Fonteyn, who had come across the Dior fashion house during their 1948 Paris trip. Jones sought inspiration for classic men’s attire from Nureyev, Fonteyn’s renowned dance partner. There were 20 ready-to-wear looks and 20 couture, to be precise.
Photo courtesy of Dior
Photo courtesy of Dior.
The ready-to-wear collection featured classics like slim tailoring, shorts, wide-legged shorts suits, and ballet-pump-inspired shoes. It was accessorised with side-knotted turbans from Stephen Jones Millinery. However, it also included modernised and streamlined business attire, aligning with Dior’s existing clientele for men’s businesswear.
The designer went all out for the couture, including Nureyev-inspired kimonos, beaded tunics, T-shirts, crocodile tops, and silver-embellished toile-de-jouy-patterned looks. And, of course, what better moment to flaunt diamonds from Dior’s haute joaillerie collection?
