Kim Jones, current creative director of Dior and former artistic director of Louis Vuitton, recently unveiled his 2020-2021 winter men’s show for Dior this past month. The entire show can be regarded as a callback by Jones to the past of Dior’s beautiful and rich heritage for design and couture. More then just an ode to the luxury houses of the past, Kim Jones’ other major inspiration for this collection was paying homage to the iconoclast stylist and jeweler of the fashion world, Judy Blame.  From classic cut garments in Dior-grey, pierced with metallic safety pins, keys and chains to the re-imagined Dior oblique monogram,”Toile de Judy” print, and classic newspaper print there is such a beautiful meld of creative styles and past references within the show.

The stellar show took place at Place de la Concorde, the “largest square in the french capital,” with equally star studded celebrity guest such as Kate Moss and Evan Mock in attendance. The set of the show itself was covered in magnificent and gigantic glass cubes filled with variously different colored smoke. The setting seemed like another tribute to Judy Blame as the colorful glass blocks evoked an 80’s nightclub environment for which Judy Blame ruled in his earlier partying years.

Yoon Ahn, head of Ambush and head designer of Dior’s jewelry, would collaborate with the Trust Judy Blame Foundation for this collection to deliver genuine, raw, and stylish feeling creations all of which seemed to epitomize the creative chemistry and design philosophy presented between Dior and Blame within the show. The everyday objects that Judy would incorporate into his jewelry such as wrenches, keys, and chains, (in addition to just about everything else he would find and re-purpose) were reinterpreted with various branding and embellishments seen all over the models. The collaboration between Judy’s Foundation and Ahn produced beautiful results overall as they managed to keep the artistic integrity of Blame and Dior intact while simultaneously adding all these new takes and details for the updated looks seen on the models.

The jewelry wasn’t the only stand out accessory related to Judy Blame at the show. Two styling choices by Jones, particularly the ultra superfluous opera gloves adorned on every model and the beret, can be considered as direct references to Blame. These were great additions as they really put a spotlight on some of what could be considered as Blame’s signature accessories. These accessories also stayed on theme with the 50’s inspired style of the collection.

The outfits overall exuded a classic aura about them with an extreme sophistication and edge representative of Mr. Dior and Blame themselves. Every look presented by Jones during this past show was immaculate. The catwalk was filled with heavy overcoats layered in distressed sweaters, split double zip bomber jackets, and dress shirts in various shades of heavy brown, cool gray and light blue. Every detail seemed to be well executed, stylish and genuine. Jones also fashioned a few of his models with rosettes on their overcoats in different colors and materials which was a really nice way to reference Christian Dior’s love of gardening and flowers particularly. Another favorite of Christian Dior was white pearls, some of which could be seen wrapped around the necks and draped down over the ears of most models at the show, as well as sewn on the previously mentioned opera gloves, embroidered with the Dior oblique motif. The pearl embroidery on the oblique was an ingenious way to combine Judy Blames DIY spirit with the house of Dior’s classic designs. Kim Jones also stayed true to form fitting and sleek tailoring which is a commonality to that of Jones, Dior, and Blame themselves.

Judy Blame would go on to influence and collaborate with many important creatives before his untimely death just two years prior. I feel that this show really attest to the fact that Judy Blame created and popularized a style philosophy and aesthetic of which he is known so well for. So much so that it transcended him even in death and he was able to touch the lives of so many through his creative passions and he will live on forever through the hearts of the people he touched and the design legacy he built for himself. Kim Jones created a collection which was steeped in meaning for his lost friend and love of classic French couture which provided timeless yet refreshing style and now everyone has their eyes on Kim Jones of Dior’s next move.