Yesterday, Dior Men presented its Fall 2022 collection for the first time in London. Anticipating the debut in darkness, onlookers were notified of its start by the appearance of a large scroll that slowly unrolled to form a runway, its typewriter print forming the text of Jack Kerouac’s On the Road. The show was a tribute to the author’s original manuscript written on nearly 120 feet of paper, with Creative Director Kim Jones choosing the author and his celebrated novel as the focal point of inspiration for a collection that embraced the imagination and reinvention of the beat generation.
Dior Fall 2022 Menswear, © Adrien Dirand, courtesy of Dior.
The first to walk the runway was a layered look suggesting the precedent of a play on high-low with its formal tux jacket, outdoor boots, sporty drawstring shorts, and a graphic top bearing imagery from the 1957 novel—the year that marked the passing of Monsieur Christian Dior, along with the release of the pivotal literary work. The ensembles that followed were undoubtedly contemporary, though influences from the beatnik frame of mind, along with the mid-century decade, shone through in a manner that was particularly nostalgic.
Pastels and muted disco hues set the mood for styles toying with a balance of couture and streetwear, drawing parallels between Mr. Dior’s refined, international taste, and the varied styles of the beatnik bohemians. Acidic greens, rusty tones, and pops of purple, yellow, and teal painted a selection of bold plaids, knitwear, and the occasional graphic jersey. Recalling 1950s dress were garments like collegiate coats, flared trousers, and fair isle knits, which were then juxtaposed by styling choices including futuristic eyewear, jacket silhouettes with clean lines (like a motocross bomber in stone colored leather), unexpected footwear, and garments featuring graphics or branded monograms—like a series of silk and leather pieces featuring hand-painted illustrations straight from the first edition of Kerouac’s novel.
Dior Fall 2022 Menswear, © Adrien Dirand, courtesy of Dior.
Of the collection’s varied looks, a few of our favorite ensembles included a pair of plushy, green velvet trousers styled with a “Dior” logo sports jersey, sunglasses, and a cap; a plaid duster with a glittery button-up and matching tie peeking out from underneath; and a moment of pattern mixing featuring a checked shirt, a floral tie, and a plaid blazer in white and green, styled with jeans. Other details of note were the sparkling sequins subtly adorning caps and collars, refreshed takes on classics like the Saddle bag and the Oblique, and the selection of footwear, which included the first Dior hiking boot, classic derby shoes with a shimmery finish, and rope walking sandals, seen styled with slouchy patterned socks.
Dior Fall 2022 Menswear, courtesy of Dior.
Dior Fall 2022 Menswear, courtesy of Dior.
Dior Fall 2022 Menswear, courtesy of Dior.
