THROUGH HISTORICAL REFERENCES, DIOR’S SS24 MENSWEAR SHOW VISUALIZED THE FUTURE. HERE’S HOW
Photo Courtesy of Dior
27 jun 2023, for frame
Location
École-Militaire, Paris, France
Production
Brand
Referencing posthumanist ideas, the futuristic setting of Kim Jones' SS24 menswear show for Dior created a dialogue between human history and a technological future in the fashion industry.
Key features
Dior's SS24 menswear show marked creative director Kim Jones' fifth year with the luxury fashion house. The show took place at the historic École Militaire Paris, encased in a sleek, monochromatic ‘black box'. The minimalist façade was adorned with the white Dior logo, which stood out boldly against the uniform grey setting. The understated exterior design set the tone for the carefully curated interior, which drew on Jones' signature grey aesthetic. The aluminium checkered floor offered a visually striking foundation, while the tribunes extended the colour scheme upwards. Overhead, an illuminated white ceiling infused the space with a feeling of modernity and haute couture.
As the show began, the surrounding environment was transformed. Boards shifted, lifting to reveal human models concealed beneath the floor. Upon their emergence, a thin strip of LED lights traced the edges of the models’ platforms, giving the impression that they were hovering above the ground.
FRAME’s take
A subtle posthumanist narrative was woven into the show. The seamless fusion of the models with their mechanical surroundings underscored the growing interplay between people and technology. The illusion of levitation was more than just a visually appealing effect. Through such calculated nuances, the show represented a future where the line between humans and technology is further blurred.
This was achieved by referencing some of high fashion’s most groundbreaking shows, like Jean Paul Gaultier, who employed circular platforms in his SS1990 collection and Alexander McQueen who explored posthumanism by reimagining this idea with mannequins instead of live models for the 1999 Givenchy haute couture show. The SS24 set reaffirms that knowledge of fashion history remains a powerful tool, especially in a world dominated by the hyper-fast pace of social media. By borrowing and reinterpreting ideological and architectural elements from past eras, designers like Kim Jones can create fashion experiences that resonate with audiences and blend the novel with the familiar.