This Is Not Dior: Jonathan Anderson’s Dior Homme Collection at Paris Fashion Week 2026
Jonathan Anderson is surely a long way from home as the newest Dior leader.
Before Jonathan Anderson, there was Oliver Rousteing. Before him, Lee McQueen. Before him, John Galliano.
The high fashion wonderboy trope is nothing new at this point. The fashion powers that be (namely Mrs Wintour and her gaggle of followers) adore to lift a male designer so high up onto a pedestal that you sometimes wonder if they now simply live amongst the clouds.
Jonathan Anderson’s name has been everywhere for the past decade, to the point where his success and admiration from the fashion industry feels incredibly suffocating. I don’t disagree that it is indeed well deserved; Anderson’s tenure at Loewe can be deemed as revolutionary and the impact that his own brand JW Anderson has had is undeniable.
But, what goes up must come down. After an incredibly received womenswear collection at the last Spring Summer season, it felt like the industry was waiting with baited breath to see what darling Anderson would break out for his first major fashion season (January has seen his Menswear debut and Couture debut). The image of him appearing at the end of his last runway show with teary eyes had been burned into mine and most admirers of the luxury fashion scene for months. For many of us, it was a sign that Anderson would carry the same reverence for the house of Dior that we hold for it.
Christian Dior is simply one of those houses. I cannot explain away the significance or the power that the name Christian Dior holds. The position of creative director has been held by some of the most beloved and talented names in fashion history: Raf Simons, John Galliano, Yves Saint Laurent, Maria Grazia Chiuri and the man himself Mr Dior. Anderson’s appointment at Dior was hardly met with any uproar. In fact, it was celebrated. Anderson was the industry’s newest sweetheart and everybody wanted to see him succeed.
I heard about the Homme collection on Instagram before I saw the show itself. Not uncommon in this day and age. But hearing that walking the Dior catwalk was this canary yellow hair is certainly uncommon.
Dior Homme, and before that Dior Monsieur, has always been reflective of the times, carrying a level of sophistication and perspective down the runway. Even in times of rebellion or experimentalism, the directors of Dior menswear have always understood who the Dior man is.
Jonathan Anderson does not understand who the Dior man is.
The collection did not feel like it was exhibiting a clear idea of who the Dior man is, or even a cohesive idea of what Jonathan Anderson’s Dior will look like. Speaking to the Guardian backstage, he claims that this collection is exploring the new idea of what the aristocracy could look like and their eccentricities.
As an individual who aligns herself with the ‘eccentric’ style category, what many people misconstrue about the idea of eccentricity is that it isn’t simply placing yourself in every category that crops up and throwing your weight around carelessly. Many who do dress in that eccentric style – including the aristocracy that Anderson seems to be modelling his collection off – build a curated sense of self and whilst the garments and accessories that build their wardrobe may appear like they come from different worlds, they all culminate to reflect authenticity.
Perhaps that is the point I’m trying to exhibit in this tangential spiel. There is no authentic idea of Dior coming from Anderson.
It feels like Anderson is attempting to build what he expects Dior to look like. Or more so what he thinks the industry is expecting from him.
Provocation. Change. Rebellion.
That is how this menswear collection reads. A half-hearted attempt at evoking anger, or disgust. An empty illusion to British punk. A non-existent commentary on the modern man.
It has been read as controversial. Some critics have fawned once again at Anderson’s supposed brilliance, but those of us lower down of the fashion food chain are less than impressed.
If this was Jonathan Anderson’s attempt to shock or surprise, it has not successfully done that. Instead, all I feel is distrust and worry that one of my most beloved fashion houses may be escaping down the drain.
His couture show on the other hand? Utter brilliance.
Mr Anderson, you are frustrating. For my sake, and yours, I hope that you pull it together. Wonderboys never last long.
Words by Jess Cooper