Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 03, 2025

Dior Men Pre-Fall 2021 Fuses Contemporary Art and Chinese Tradition

Dior Men Pre-Fall 2021 Fuses Contemporary Art and Chinese Tradition

Kim Jones' new Dior Men collection features artwork by painter Kenny Scharf, translated through traditional Chinese embroidery.

Unveiled today, Dior Men's latest collection by Kim Jones presents an explosion of color courtesy of an artistic collaboration with painter Kenny Scharf. Known for his impact on New York's East Village arts scene in the '80s, Scharf's creations for Dior Men mirror the vibrancy and edge of the street art he and contemporaries Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat pioneered. Transformed from spray painted canvases and illustrations, the artist's cartoon-like works receive the French fashion house's savoir-faire craftsmanship through detailed embroidery on shirts, outerwear, and more.

Sticking to a completely virtual presentation for the runway show, Jones blends heritage with history-in-the-making as we see the designer's second collection created admist the coronavirus pandemic. While consumed in the digital space, the fashion retains its tactile impact thanks to its bold visual codes and artisan approach.

                                    



Along with pieces from Scharf's archive, the painter created original artworks specifically for the Dior Men Pre-Fall 2021 collection depicting the characters of the Chinese zodiac. These illustrations represent the house of Dior's longheld admiration for Chinese tradition and craft, which stems back to Monsieur Dior himself, and go beyond visual art alone. One shirt executed with precise and painstaking Chinese seed embroidery with custom-dyed silk thread shows the versatility of the handmade technique. From afar it appears as a copy of Scharf's work, but up-close the viewer sees each individual knot that comprises the image.

The embroidered treatments are complemented by other psychedelic prints courtesy of Scharf, as well as Jones' knack for utilitarian yet elegant tailoring. The maison's Bar Jacket also appears as a reference for men's blazers belted at the waist.



Jones has consistently amplified his vision for Dior Men with the visual arts. For Spring/Summer 2021, the designer tapped Ghanian artist Amoako Boafo to collaborate on a number of looks depicting the painter's work that centers on the Black experience, and for Pre-Fall 2020, streetwear legend Shawn Stussy brought his illustrative approach to colorful prints.

In addition to the Chinese-inspired imagery and techniques employed on the clothes, the country's culture is also reflected through the collection's accessories. Dior Men jewelry designer Yoon Ahn accented pieces with traditional stones including jade and lapis, while feather and flower expert Maison Lemarié created chrysanthemum boutonnieres to symboize the Chinese flower of vitality.

See the full Dior Men Pre-Fall 2021 collection here:

                                                        

                                                        

                                                        

                                                        

                                                        

                                                        

                                                        

                                                        

                                                        

                                                        

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
China Accuses US of Violating Trade Truce
Panama Port Owner Balances US-China Pressures
France Implements Nationwide Outdoor Smoking Ban to Protect Children
German Chancellor Merz Keeps Putin Guessing on Missile Strategy
Mandelson Criticizes UK's 'Fetish' for Abandoning EU Regulations
British Fishing Boat Owner Fined €30,000 by French Authorities
Dutch government falls as far-right leader Wilders quits coalition
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
×