A dazzling debut at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art …
The timing: Is it a coincidence that Jonathan Anderson debuted his Cruise Collection for Dior at the same time as Cannes Film Festival? Obsessed with all things cinematic from a young age – Anderson wanted to be an actor before switching course to fashion – he chose a week when the world is already entranced by red carpet fashion and glitzy after parties. His debut Dior Cruise Show underscored the enduring glamour of the film industry and played on Old Hollywood mythology in a collection all about finding joy in clothes. Key references were the Californian poppy worn as huge corsages, Marlene Dietrich’s Dior Accacias jacket and film noir.
The guests: The starry guestlist included Hollywood A-listers Lauren Hutton, Al Pacino, Jeff Goldblum, Tracee Ellis Ross and Grace Gummer – as well as a cohort of bright young things in Anya Taylor-Joy, Maude Apatow, Miley Cyrus and JISOO – all dressed in Dior, from romantic sheer gowns to sculptural tailoring and distressed denim. Sabrina Carpenter broke the internet in a dropped-waist yellow flapper-style dress from the show’s first exit.
Each guest had received a keyring for a vintage Cadillac as an invite that echoed the teaser film dropped prior to the show. Starring Irish actress Alison Oliver, directed by Ukrainian partners Tanya and Zhenia Posternak, it recalled the visual style of Alfred Hitchcock as she seemed to channel Grace Kelly speeding along the Cote d’Azur in a Sunbeam Alpine in To Catch A Thief. Vintage Cadillacs were spotted on the catwalk at the entrance to LACMA.
Many of the celebrity guests stayed at the storied Chateau Marmont where they reportedly found further gifts including a Blu-ray of Sunset Boulevard and the jaw-dropping memoir Full Service: My Adventures in Hollywood and the Secret Sex Lives of the Stars by Lionel Friedberg and Scotty Bowers. Oo-la-la!
The setting: Did anyone else think of La La Land when they saw the setting was LACMA? During the film, scenes featuring its iconic Urban Light installation, referencing the street lamps from the 1920s and 1930s added to the romantic nostalgia. Anderson’s choice of setting fused high fashion with Californian culture and also was bang up to day. The Museum includes new David Geffen Galleries, designed by Pritzker Prize-winning Swiss architect Peter Zumthor. Also timely, Dior recently opened its new flagship on Rodeo Drive, with chef Dominique Crenn’s acclaimed restaurant Monsieur Dior upstairs.
Show notes: “A model appears on the runway in a buttercup-yellow dress” begins the show notes – actually a screenplay with scene directions, soundtrack cues and references to Mr Dior’s long relationship with cinema. He was the go-to couturier on and off screen for a coterie of actresses, from Marilyn Monroe to Ingrid Bergman, Elizabeth Taylor and Grace Kelly. He received an Oscar nomination in 1955 for his work on Terminal Station starring Marlene Dietrich who famously declared, ‘No Dior, No Dietrich!’ Last season, Anderson embroidered this quote onto a sweater. He also designed film costumes for Luca Guadagnino’s Queer and Challengers films.
The clothes: “We started with this idea of dressing up in daytime and evening – we just wanted a collection that is a bit fun,” explained Anderson. That idea translated as bias-cut and dropped-waisted gowns, swathes of sequins and flashes of red (Mr Dior always put a red dress midway through his collections). Not forgetting the feathered Dior, Buzz and Star headpieces, made by milliner Philip Treacy – as if the models were leaving (slightly tipsy) from a party thrown by Jay Gatsby. Of note too were the menswear collection, which saw new riffs on nipped-waist Bar Jacket and featured a collaboration with pop artist Ed Ruscha, who designed shirts with graphic slogans.
Verdict: A romantic show that romped through the House of Dior and touched on many of the house codes with a light touch. It hit the mark for what a Cruise Show should be – an elevated holiday wardrobe for high rollers. Sequinned sunglasses, sparkly slides, distressed denim, boucle Bar jackets, a new Carrie Bradshaw newsprint Saddle Bag, a ladybird clutch and huge corsages – expect to see these everywhere from Portofino to St Tropez next season, and emulated on the high street.
Coinciding with the show, Anderson also revealed his favourite films and, of course, they’re niche. Best In Show, Stranger by the Lake and God’s Own Country made the cut. Of the latter, he said; “I think it’s something that I could really relate to. This idea of looking at queer culture through a different lens. I grew up on a farm, so it had sort of synergies that I really understood, and it was really kind of the both of my friendship with Josh (O’Connor). I’ve worked with him for over ten years now. He’s a very dear friend and I think one of the greatest actors.” All required viewing for Dior fans now!
