See Waves of Colour at the Dior Men Spring 2023 Show
The show at Venice, California brought a casual beach flair to the House’s signature styles.
A towering blue wave standing at almost 10 metres tall greeted guests at the Venice Beach Party. The fashion show from Dior was held at Venice Beach as part of the Californian ocean-themed collection by Eli Russell Linnetz of ERL Studio and Kim Jones.
Having grown up on Venice Beach and with Californian casual-chic at the core of his label, Linnetz is the latest guest designer to sign with Dior – combining his overstated codes with the House’s iconic silhouettes and shapes. Like a wave crashing on the shore and returning to the ocean, the looks in the collection began with Dior's signature dove grey, and shuffled through a medley of pastel and vibrant tones, before finishing with a surefire neutral palette.
The first look was a dove grey silk satin suit, paired with long slouchy trousers in the same colour, and finished with casual skater sneakers. The starting look also sported retro goggle-inspired sunglasses and spikey water-slicked hair.
After a series of grey and pastel mint looks came a soft purple number. The light lavender suit was worn over a pale turquoise sweater and a clean white button-up shirt. Topped off with a pillbox hat worn backwards and accessorised with a beaded veil, the headpiece was a subtle ode to Jackie O and the Pan Pacific Auditorium in Los Angeles.
It wouldn’t be a Dior collection without a reimagined Saddle bag, and this season’s iteration sees a complete revamp – with the bag dripping in a tassel green-blue degradé knit and finished with a chunky gold chain. A glamorous interpretation of the shallow waters on the shore, this Saddle bag pairs seamlessly with the matching shimmery sweater.
Turns out, the blue carpet on the runway wasn’t enough for this collection. Jones and Linnetz crafted a couple of water-toned looks for the capsule, like this fuzzy half-zip sweater and tiny baby blue shorts – proving that monochromatic looks are a key theme of the collaborative collection. The blue micro Saddle bag was even worn as a necklace, with the thick chain hanging out.
Another eye-catching monochromatic sequence was the series of hot pink numbers. The gold Cannage stitch detailing on these stiff trousers was unequivocally a core motif of the collection, appearing on coats, sweaters and sneakers. And how does Dior turn even more heads with a dramatic deep V-neck knit sweater? By making it Fuschia.
The tail of the capsule collection was filled with darker tones, right before the all-white final look. Adding a Californian touch to tartan, the red blanket-as-coat was a showstopping piece. The upcycled coat was definitely a statement, with the Dior monogram pants and a little sliver of satin boxer shorts. Of course, the chunky brown sneakers undoubtedly balanced out the scarlet look.
One of the final looks of the night was this dark grey silk satin suit. The suit was embellished all over with the CD Icon logo in true Dior fashion and decorated with a lapel pin dedicated to the florals Christian Dior loved. In the true spirit of the Jones-Linnetz collaboration, the sneakers’ thick laces are a blast from the past of Linnetz’s formative years spent with skaters on Venice Beach.
