For the highly anticipated Pre-Fall 2020 collection by Dior, creative director Kim Jones transformed Miami into a vibrant skate court. The show space, a dazzling green-yellow with vintage American cars, was adorned with graffiti tags by Shawn Stüssy, the legendary founder of Stüssy. The result was a surreal and trippy blend of high fashion and street culture.
In an era where the boundaries between high fashion and streetwear are fading, collaborations have become a powerful tool. However, with a saturated market, it’s challenging to create genuine value by merely piggybacking on other brands. Recently, Prada and Adidas announced a partnership and released limited-edition sneakers. But true artistry is missing. One visionary is on a mission to restore the glory of collaborations.
During Miami’s Art Basel, Dior presented their Pre-Fall 2020 collection in collaboration with Shawn Stüssy, who came out of retirement for this special occasion. Kim Jones, the creative head of Dior Menswear, showcased his expertise in mixing the brand with unexpected collaborators. The show highlighted his genuine appreciation for art and creativity, reaffirming that streetwear and high fashion will continue riding the collaboration wave in 2020.
Shawn Stüssy’s iconic typeface adorned Dior’s key pieces, including colorful variations of the saddlebag signed with the Dior logo in his sketch style. Stüssy’s brand identity was honored with Stüssy-branded barret caps worn by Dior models, while pullovers and shirts featured 90s-style graffiti tags associated with Stüssy, paired with Dior suit trousers and shorts. This joyful blend created a vibrant trip to Miami Beach’s skate spots. Notably, Stüssy was initially recognized as a surf brand before its influence spread to street style and hip-hop culture. Kim Jones paid homage to this heritage through a trippy-Miami-Beach color palette, featuring light blue, pink, green, yellow, and sandy shades of beige.
Just as Kim Jones expertly connected Dior’s DNA with collaborators like Hajime Sorayama, he continues to integrate their creative spirits authentically and respectfully. This approach expands the brand’s appeal to new target groups. After the impactful Sorayama statue on the Dior catwalk, his previously overlooked art gained newfound popularity, becoming a hit on Tumblr.
Shawn Stüssy expressed his enthusiasm for the project on Instagram before the show, highlighting the incredible vibe and natural connection he felt. The fashion world eagerly awaits the next artist Kim Jones will bring to life for Dior.
By the way, Dior’s Instagram account maintains a relaxed approach, unaffected by its creator’s high-fashion presence. The brand continues to share regular content, embodying their hang-loose attitude.
As with Hajime Sorayama, Kim knows how to connect the Dior DNA with its partners in an authentic and respectful way, always integrating their creative spirit. That way he also makes them accessible to a new target group. After the 12 meter high statue of Sorayama on the Dior catwalk, his almost forgotten art experienced a hype and became a tumblr hit.
For now, Shawn seemed to enjoy his short trip back to profession. The day before the show he wrote on instagram:” I gotta say here and now how good a vibe and how natural this project has felt for me before this things breaks in a day or so…” We can’t wait to see which artist Jones will bring back to life for Dior next time. By the way: according to their relaxed life motto, on Instagram the brand seems to be completely unimpressed by the sudden high fashion appearance of its creator. Not wasting any time on mentioning it, just continuing to post regular content. Hang loose!
