Kim Jones is stepping down as inventive director of Dior Homme after seven years designing the hit menswear line.
Jones left LVMH stablemate Louis Vuitton for Dior in 2018. There, he strengthened the hyperlink between the model’s menswear and the founding aesthetic of the home, leaning right into a regal trend fantasy with deftly draped tailoring, at occasions with cinched waists in a nod to the home’s signature Bar swimsuit.
The revamped formalwear was blended with savvy merchandising and rapid-fire collaborations with a various forged of artists and types, from Peter Doig to Nike, which helped faucet demand from tribal, streetwear-informed trend clients at a time of speedy casualisation within the luxurious trade. Gross sales of males’s merchandise grew roughly five-fold to over €1.2 billion within the first 5 years of his tenure on the model, based on trade sources.
“It was a real honor to have been in a position to create my collections inside the home of Dior, an emblem of absolute excellence,” Jones stated in an announcement.
“I’m extraordinarily grateful for the outstanding work accomplished by Kim Jones, his studio, and the ateliers. With all his expertise and creativity, he has continuously reinterpreted the Home’s heritage with real freedom of tone and stunning, extremely fascinating inventive collaborations,” stated Dior CEO Delphine Arnault.
The English designer’s subsequent strikes are unknown. Jones’ exit comes as market sources say LVMH is making ready to switch Loewe designer Jonathan Anderson to Dior, betting on a artistic shakeup to reverse slowing gross sales. Tuesday, LVMH reported fourth-quarter gross sales up 1 p.c, with trend and leather-based items gross sales falling 1 p.c on an natural foundation.
Keep tuned to BoF for updates on this growing story.
Disclosure: LVMH is a part of a bunch of buyers who, collectively, maintain a minority curiosity in The Enterprise of Trend. All buyers have signed shareholders’ documentation guaranteeing BoF’s full editorial independence.
