Christian Dior is no stranger to reinvention. But what Jonathan Anderson pulled off on October 1, 2025, in Paris wasn’t just a reboot. It was a full-on cinematic twist. His first women’s ready-to-wear collection for Dior landed like a punch. Not rude, but loud enough to rattle the marble.
However, he didn’t just nod at history. The Irish designer played chess with it, reshuffling Dior’s DNA into something sharp, fast, and full of tension.
The show got a standing ovation, and not the polite kind. This wasn’t about pleasing everyone. It was about showing a point of view. Anderson wasn’t interested in copying the past or burying it. He wanted to store it, crack it open, and build something entirely his own.
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Anderson called it “empathy with history,” and you could feel it in every look, every sharp line, every soft bow.
The Look
Anderson’s take on the iconic Bar jacket was the opening shot. He shrank it, cropped it, and pushed it into today. It was paired with mini pleated skirts that shouted. The proportions felt youthful, but not gimmicky. The silhouette was still Dior, but with the volume turned way up.
Anderson / IG / This was a collection made of contrasts. Couture-level detail walked side by side with casual cool.
Think sculptural trapeze coats worn over denim, capes that floated, and accessories that decorate. There was femininity, yes, but laced with androgyny. Nothing felt safe. Everything felt intentional.
Bows showed up everywhere. Not sweet little extras, but bold, architectural moves. They bloomed off skirts and wrapped bodies like armor. Mini skirts dominated the lineup, nearly half the collection, and they weren’t shy.
Anderson knew exactly what he was doing: tightening the silhouette, pushing the length, and charging each look with a dose of controlled chaos.
The Show was Way More Than a Runway
But the show wasn’t just about clothes. The runway itself was a story. Before a single model stepped out, a film by Adam Curtis lit up the space, projected onto an upside-down pyramid. It was fast, moody, and full of ghosts - clips of Dior’s past stitched with eerie horror flashes.
That mood carried through to the crowd. The front row was stacked, Jennifer Lawrence, Johnny Depp, Jenna Ortega, Charlize Theron, K-pop royalty Jimin and Jisoo, and even France’s First Lady Brigitte Macron. The guest list was global, loud, and ready to witness a shift. And they got one.
Anderson / IG / Accessories were a show of their own. Oversized tricorn hats gave a nod to history but with swagger. The pumps came with massive rosettes that were hard to ignore.
And the new Dior loafer? It had the "O" cut out to flash just enough skin, a small touch that delivered he punch and said, "Look closer."
Critics didn’t hold back, and for once, they didn’t need to. Harrods’ Simon Longland said it straight: This was a revolution, not a gentle tweak. Pamela Golbin, one of fashion’s sharpest minds, called Anderson a master storyteller, turning heritage into something alive, not museum-grade.
Vogue called it daring. The Independent called it romantic and rebellious. That mix of tension - of past and future, of soft and hard - was the point. Anderson didn’t play it safe. He made Dior feel urgent again.