Dior Unveils Men's Collection at the Foot of the Egyptian Pyramids

On December 3, fashion luxury brand Dior unveiled its Men's Fall 2023 Collection designed by its artistic director Kim Jones in the grandiose setting of Giza.

A first for Dior. Not for the pyramids of Giza, mythical sites of ancient Egypt that regularly serve as a pharaonic stage for concerts, exhibitions or fashion shows, transforming the heritage into a showcase to attract global attention. Thus, the spirits of the pharaohs Khufu, Khufu and Merino had taken their place in the front row this Saturday, December 3. The French label presented its fall 2023 men's collection at the foot of the Egyptian pyramids of Giza, in the middle of the desert, a few miles from Cairo. Guests - including driver Lewis Hamilton, actors Robert Pattinson (who came with his girlfriend, Suki Waterhouse) and Benoît Magimel, and models Naomi Campbell and Lila Moss - were invited to go there just after sunset to attend the first ever Dior fashion show held on Egyptian soil.

By presenting his collection in Cairo, it is understood that Kim Jones wishes to extend the link of the French house with the Egyptian culture forged from the first collections in the 1950s by the designer Christian Dior, one of whose silhouettes bears the name "Cairo". Kim Jones also expressed his affection for this destination, which he said he discovered as a child, traveling with his hydrogeologist father.

From John Galliano to Kim Jones

The day before the show, the brand unveiled "Dior Tears", a mini-collection created with Tremaine Emory in the Grand Egyptian Museum, a high cultural place that has been in the works since 2002 and is due to open soon. Twenty years is also the time that separates Kim Jones' men's collection from the one imagined by John Galliano on the theme of the pharaohs in 2004, for the spring-summer haute couture. Here, Kim Jones plunges her references into the fictional universe of Frank Herbert's saga, Dune. But also to the very real world of astronomy, with jackets printed with photos of galaxies taken with a telescope by NASA. A link between the (extraterrestrial) myths surrounding ancient Egypt and Mr. Dior's passion for astrology.

Heading for Africa

And after Dior, Chanel. Dakar will host the Chanel Métiers d'art fashion show on December 6. Once again, this is a first in the history of the brand, which intends to show its "commitment to the influence of this exceptional craft heritage throughout the world". Africa, a new territory in the sights of the luxury industry? It is certain that the Dior and Chanel fashion shows find their place in a series of events orchestrated this year by the French brands. In July 2022, the Moroccan desert also served as a backdrop for Saint Laurent's men's show. A reminder that Africa is also an emerging market for luxury.