Ménage à trois

Kim Jones combines the genius of Peter Doig and Stephen Jones for Dior’s new winter campaign
By Finn Blythe | Fashion | 19 July 2021

For a new winter campaign, Kim Jones has turned to two of Dior‘s erstwhile collaborators in Peter Doig and Stephen Jones. Both heavyweights in their respective fields of contemporary art and millinery, their globally-revered practices have aligned here in a series of photographs by Rafael Pavarotti that reinterpret the traditions of ceremonial wear and historical portraiture.

GALLERYDior FW22 by Rafael Pavarotti

Statement headwear, from the traditional beret to the more contemporary bucket, have been Dior’s raison d’etre from the beginning. This campaign distills the essence of that core heritage while delving deeper into its art-historical symbolism. Who better to call upon therefore, than Stephen Jones? Through conversations with Peter Doig, the timeless British milliner helped flesh out the historical context of each design, many of which are based on styles worn by the artist’s subjects.

After Doig collaborated with Kim Jones on Dior’s FW21 collection in January, the Scottish-born painter has extended their creative conversation through a number of new items bearing his signature expressive brushstrokes. The colour palette throughout borrows heavily from the artist’s own melancholic compositions, which photographer Rafael Pavarotti interpreted for his softly-hued backdrops that add to the campaign’s appearance of painted portraits.

Beyond the sculptural range of hats, each a testament to the accumulated savoir fair of Dior’s ateliers, the saddle bag is released in new editions of cannetille and camouflage, while the jewelry, expertly designed by Yoon Ahn, adds to the art-historical reading with items that traditionally conferred status and wealth. Borrowing the forms of Renaissance cameos and war medals, the jewelry reflects the collaboration through its transcendence of eras, styles and artistic mediums.


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