Photos – courtesy of Dior ©
The Dior Summer 2025 collection centres on the texture of life through craftsmanship. Inspired by the motifs and artistry of South African ceramicist Hylton Nel, Artistic Director Kim Jones continues to push global ideas of savoir-faire. This season, the collection blends luxury with utility, drawing from men’s workwear and women’s haute couture, emphasizing functionality, longevity, and legacy.
Silhouettes are both sculptural and practical, influenced by the language of ceramics. The humble and noble merge in fabrications, with workwear’s functionality enhanced by couture’s cuts and Dior ateliers’ craftsmanship.
Tailoring and outerwear feature rounded volumes for a sensuous finish. Archival haute couture finds new life, like an unrealized Saint-Laurent sketch from Autumn-Winter 1958, fully realized for the first time and informing tailored looks. The scarf collar motif, from Saint-Laurent’s Autumn-Winter 1960 piece, appears as a mock ceramic structure, achieved through a meticulous artisanal process. Knitwear echoes sculptural forms with playful patterns and ceramic fastenings inspired by Hylton Nel’s work.
Accessories are both playful and practical, crafted with precision and flair. Footwear focuses on traditional working shoes—the clog—reimagined as enclosed shoes or boots, handcrafted from materials like beech wood and calf leather. Wooden soles are modified with rubber for comfort. Studded decorations inspired by Hylton Nel’s ‘sigils’ influence the embroidery on clothing and bags.
The iconic Dior Saddle bag, marking 25 years of style, is central to the collection. Its construction is softened, and its curves inspire other silhouettes. Bags combine hardwearing canvas with raffia or leather. Cloche hats, designed by Stephen Jones with Earth Age from Cape Town, are hand-crocheted by local craftspeople and adorned with ceramic beads in Paris, symbolizing the collaboration of global ateliers. The artisans’ skill and pride unite the collection, blending the homespun with the salon, and the global with the local.
DIRECTION – VILLA EUGÉNIE
SHOW CONCEPT – KIM JONES
MUSIC – ACT THREE – CLOUDBUSTING(LIVE) KATE BUSH ℗ & © 2016 NOBLE & BRITE LTD COURTESY OF WARNER MUSIC FRANCE PUBLISHING EMI MUSIC PUBLISHING LTD
MUSIC SUPERVISION – SIMON PARRIS
STYLING – MELANIE WARD
CASTING – SHELLEY DURKAN
MAKE-UP – PETER PHILIPS FOR DIOR
HAIR – GUIDO PALAU
HATS – EARTH AGE WITH STEPHEN JONES
EMBROIDERY – KAROSS STUDIO
DIOR JOAILLERIE – VICTOIRE DE CASTELLANE
TIMEPIECES – DIOR HORLOGERIE
