Dior Spring 2024 Menswear Explores the Roots of British Fashion History

By Madeline Kenzie - News

Published: 11 June 2023, Last Updated: 9 June 2023

If there is one thing Kim Jones has down pat, it’s clean, structured tailoring that doesn’t skimp on the storytelling. The Dior creative director is renowned for his transcendent ability to marry modernity with history, not simply following in the footsteps of the great designers of old, but celebrating their work. In fact, homage has become somewhat of a hallmark of his, with Jones’ recent display at Paris Fashion Week paying respect to Saint Laurent‘s time at Dior. For Spring 2024, however, Jones’ focus was aimed squarely at British history and esteemed menswear design icon Ray Petri, in particular.

Dior Spring 2024 Menswear | Image: Dior

The new Dior Men’s 2024 collection saw Jones pay tribute to Petri’s 1980s Buffalo style reimagined in cleaner silhouettes. It was a fitting tribute to Petri, who himself was among the first stylists to champion a new wave of British menswear. Known to embrace the look of outcasts and delinquent youth in society, his style combined tailored suiting with gender-fluid motifs – all of which was harnessed with Dior’s latest showing, albeit this time a little heavier on the sportswear.

The collection screams British society at every turn, from the genderless tailoring to the smaller touches. Jones is nothing if not a master of the details, form-fitting blazers adorned with rebellious pins being just a minor one. The army-inspired check coat seemed like an especially nice touch, while the “CD” emboldened belt buckles roughed up the edges. The cable knit sweaters, kilts and cutout shirting concealed behind refined trench coats added some refinement. While the worn-in denim workwear honours London’s working-class uniform perfectly.

Finally, to tie things off Petri’s quintessential MA-1 flight jacket is revived for the modern landscape. The satin finish and shearling collars are embellished with Dior’s signature logo – a clever nod that shows how the house has honoured modernity through timeless attention to detail.

Dior Spring 2024 Menswear | Image: Dior

Much like Jones’ recent work, the Dior Spring 2024 is all about deconstructing menswear codes, norms of which the designer calls “archetypes”. In a press release, the designer begs the question, “what constitutes a suit now?”. A question that seems reasonable enough to ask and to be explored. This line seems to be a true expression of decoding masculinity through Petri’s approach of what Jones calls “self-styling”. A way of putting things together without applying too many rules and regulations; a freedom to approach what you want to wear and how you like to wear it. We may have seen this previously with some of Jones’ collaborations but it’s really coming into full effect now. You can take a closer look at the Dior Spring Mens 2024 Collection above.

View the collection at Dior