If Versace has Migos repeating the brand name 36 times as part of a chorus, Lil Pump making 'Gucci Gang' a pop culture term, and Jackson Wang lyrically sharing his love for Fendi in 'Fendiman', couture house Dior now has a song to (somewhat) call its own. The Dior Men fall 2021 remote runway presentation was set to a Honey Dijon-remix of two of American house group Deee-Lite's hits—'Pussycat Meow' and 'What is Love'. Vocalist Lady Miss Kier reworked the lyrics to the latter to include Dior in a sultry, cat-like manner that's continuously looped.
The Dior Men fall 2021 runway presentation was in many ways, a sensory overload, and that's not even counting the actual collection. The hypnotic Honey Dijon x Deee-Lite soundtrack amplified the incredibly alluring digital backdrop by French director Thomas Vanz—stunning visuals of the cosmos that were glittering and swirling in fiery motion, envisioned in various hues.
Look and feel: As with every single Dior Men collection under artistic director Kim Jones, the fall 2021 collection featured another collaboration with a contemporary artist. American painter Kenny Scharf provided the collection's core motifs in all its multicoloured graffiti glory. Jones delved into Scharf's archives and also commissioned additional artwork for the collection, which were then translated as prints and embroideries across a range of ready-to-wear as well as accessories.
Chinese heritage and traditions too played a significant part in Dior Men fall 2021. Scharf interpreted the animals that make up the Chinese Zodiac in his own artistic vision for the collection, while Dior artisans incorporated traditional Chinese techniques and combined them with their Western couture expertise—both a reflection of the global nature of artistry and its inherently boundless quality.
Favourite looks: As an homage to Dior's iconic Bar jacket, quite a number of looks were belted to achieve a similar cinched-in effect. Stunners include look 35's stately option paired with leather trousers, and the almost lounge-y silk suiting in look three that's fitted at the waist with a Dior Oblique belt. Check out the Dior Oblique gloves—a continuing accessory that was first debuted in winter 2020—tucked in between too.
For a full experience of Scharf's artistry, look 23's decadent print-on-print-on-print layering was a masterful display of how the pieces could work together just as well as if they were separated and worn with plainer separates. But for those hesitant of a full-on graffiti-laden fit, look 16's beautifully tasteful addition of an embroidered Scharf belt (affixed with a dual-coloured tassel) against a white suit would make for quite and excellent representation of the collection without the overzealous mix of patterns.
Favourite accessories: The aforementioned embroidered belt that combined traditional Chinese techniques with Dior's couture craftsmanship as well as Scharf's brilliant artwork. It's a statement piece that makes for a perfect addition to any monochromatic outfit. But we also are quite obsessed with the collection's slippers that came in Scharf's prints (looks 3 and 10) as well as Dior Oblique (looks 14 and 19)—the kind of work-from-home footwear energy that we all deserve.
