Since the earth is dangerous, why not escape the ground and walk into outer space – Last night at nine o’clock, after watching the Dior Men Fall 2021 fashion show live, I probably had this feeling.
Since the outbreak of COVID-19 globally, this is Kim Jones’ second regular fashion show for Dior Men, compared to the Fall 2020 collection that paid tribute to Judy Blame, bringing a Fall 2021 collection of 45 looks. At first glance, it may seem like a comparison between “prints” and “glamour,” with no Couture-level atelier craftsmanship as a conclusion like at the beginning of the year. However, Kim Jones’ own creations have never been stingy, and this time is no exception.
After collaborating with the emerging African artist Amoako Boafo in Summer 2021 – by the way, this artist who excels in hand-painted portraits, two works completed last year will be auctioned off at Christie’s and Phillips for HK$8,890,000 (“Baba Diop”) and $756,000 (“Purple on Red”) respectively at the beginning of this month. The former was sold for ten times the minimum estimated value – Kim Jones has brought in an even more astonishing partner for the Fall 2021 season, the legendary pop master Kenny Scharf, who rose to fame in the “Golden Age” of 1980, alongside the two art legends Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring.
Kenny Scharf shared in an interview with Dior Men that Kim Jones is very familiar with his work, ideas, and career, to a degree beyond what he expected. During the interview, Kenny Scharf mentioned that he never considered himself a graffiti artist, even though he often holds a spray can. He believes that graffiti is just one art form, and the use of colors is the focus of his emotional expression. For this collaboration, Kim Jones selected both early and recent works of Kenny Scharf, including the well-known pieces “When the Worlds Collide,” “Viva Mare Viva Mar,” and “Globo Mundo.” Additionally, Kim Jones gave Kenny Scharf a lot of freedom to redesign the brand’s “CD” logo, drawing inspiration from the Chinese zodiac signs and creating a series of pattern prints for this collection.
The appearance of past fashion shows, especially when encountering meticulously arranged and decorated scenes, individuals often do not pay much attention to the characteristics of the clothing – this time is no exception. When I learned about Kenny Scharf’s participation, and then saw the invitation and the exposed photos, I initially thought that Fall 2021 would probably be similar to previous collaborations with Shawn Stussy or Spring 2021, at most with printed patterns on knitwear. The conclusion of the fashion show also simultaneously proved the ignorance of this idea, as well as the statement at the beginning that “Kim Jones has never been stingy in production and creation.”
Shirts, jackets, knitwear, etc., are still the most common items in the Fall 2021 collection, but there are many designs, especially in various jacket styles, such as Blouson Jacket, MA-1, Chore Jacket, etc. They also use high-end materials such as flannel, leather, cotton, silk, etc., combined with Kim Jones’ Casual Tailoring style, allowing Kenny Scharf’s fun creations to maintain an RTW feel.
However, it is necessary to mention the interpretation of the Dior craftsmen. This season, Kim Jones referenced Chinese weaving and embroidery techniques, and invited many Chinese craftsmen to assist Dior Atelier in maintaining readiness in the selection of colors, so that the craftsmen can apply embroidery while presenting Kenny Scharf’s artwork on different garments. As for the reason for referencing Chinese embroidery techniques, it is believed that Kim Jones thinks it can harmonize tailoring and this season’s emphasis on a pajama-like cut design, allowing the clothing to seamlessly transition between formal and casual wear.
So, how does the mention of space travel relate to Fall 2021?
Probably because this season cannot be as extravagant as the collaboration with KAWS, Daniel Arsham, etc., Kim Jones invited French director Thomas Vanz to create a background video for the venue. It is said that Thomas Vanz specially built a monolithic computer screen wall made up of a large number of computer screens for this Fall 2021 fashion show, allowing models to appear in front of the camera as if they were in outer space.
As for the images on the curtain wall, Thomas Vanz uses his expertise in chemical art to blend countless pigment products (reportedly close to 15,000 colors), first mixing them in a transparent glass water tank, using a computer to record the various forms of liquid fusion in water, and then converting them into special effects images through 3D virtualization technology, presenting visual effects such as the surface of the sun and meteorite impacts. In simple terms, it is breathtaking.
