Dior Swings Into Fall With a Golf-Inspired Lifestyle Capsule

Our new favourite place to look at people and their clothes is the fairway. It’s not that golfers are particularly stylish. In fact, the opposite is often true. With dress codes and decorum, most opt for the safe uniformity of polo shirts and pressed slacks on the green. But occasionally, you’ll spot a rake teeing off in a trendy tracksuit or fun Hawaiian shirt, which is a delight.

It’s true that golf still carries a certain cachet. But many younger players are simply uninterested in faffing around with its stuffy formalities. And unlike other more rigorous sports, golf’s leisurely pace diminishes the need for performance gear, which opens up the possibilities for personal style. Cue the fashionable incursion of streetwear into the once gated game. In recent years, there have been lots of athleisure, and even a flash of luxury, sighted along the 18-holes. Golf’s newest enthusiasts want to look cool, casual and comfortable both on and off the course, and their push to re-envision golfing attire only makes us enjoy the game more.

Even big name designers are taking a swing at chic golfwear, as with the latest Dior Men lifestyle capsule. Artistic director of menswear Kim Jones infuses a whole lot of preppy sophistication into the wardrobe (the game naturally lends itself to the bougie style), while simultaneously easing up the look with elegantly untucked polos, roomy bermudas and pleated chinos. Checks also make an appearance, in beige and on Harrington jackets and casual blazers, very Ivy League.

The other half of the collection leans savvily into retro sportswear: a blue velvet tracksuit, windbreakers with reflective stripes, a short-sleeved knit shirt patterned with the oversized CD Diamond motif. These aren’t conventional golf apparel, but they work just as well on the links as in the city. Because why not? Golf is more than dress codes; it needs to become a lifestyle in order to gain cultural ground. And for a new generation to get into the sport and lead its resurgence, image is paramount.

Alongside new two-tone variations of the Saddle bag, backpack and Hit The Road messenger, there’s a B33 sneaker with checks and a fringed tongue inspired by old-school golfing shoes. All of them are adorned with Dior Gravity (the Maison’s new embossed leather), including the outstanding black leather golf bag crafted specially for this collection. Clearly, romanticising the frumpishness of golf works in the post-Tiger Woods era, especially with the irony-laced millennial and Gen Z set (recall their fervour for normcore), who may not even play the sport but just want to look the part. That’s how you keep the gentleman’s game alive.