The fashion house traveled to Los Angeles to present its spring 2023 capsule collection, born of the creative dialogue between Kim Jones, artistic director of the brand’s menswear, and Eli Russell Linnetz, emerging talent on the US scene and among the finalists for the 2022 LVMH prize, founder of the ERL brand.
A red thread which ideally unites the workshops of the avenue Montaigne and the beaches of Venice beach. The bourgeois boys of Paris and the rebellious skaters of Los Angeles. Dior conquers Los Angeles and stages the spring 2023 collection which makes its debut on the catwalks by revealing a new face.
Because the one that paraded among the neon lights of Windward Avenue, closed for the occasion and dressed in blue, is a collection born of the creative dialogue between Kim Jones , artistic director of L’Homme, and Eli Russell Linnetz , founder of the super brand cool ERL among the finalists for the 2022 Lvmh Prize .A clash born of the friendship between the designer and Linnetz, who boasts a very respectable course. Before becoming a stylist, the young designer born in Venice Beach was a photographer, director, producer and artistic director, collaborating with personalities like Ye aka Kanye West and Lady Gaga. Fashion came to him in 2018 thanks to the advice and suggestions of Adrian Joffe , soul of Comme des Garçons and DSM – Dover Street Market who in 2022, on the occasion of the opening of DSM in Los Angeles, the convinced him to create his own brand.
And last night, this brand, symbol of a new made in the USA inspired by Californian subcultures, hit the headlines for the Dior Hommes capsule collection designed by ERL . “During my career at Dior , we have collaborated with different personalities”, explained Kim Jones, behind the scenes of the show.“But this time I wanted to go in another direction, by choosing a new look that could read the house and its universe. With this concept in mind, I wanted to work with Eli Russell Linnetz, whose creativity I deeply admire. And I wanted to see things from another point of view, that of a young talent with incredible creativity. The process was very smooth, eye-opening, and made us realize why we both work in fashion . ” For his part, Russell echoed: “We were inspired by the Dior archives from the year I was born, 1991. Those were Gianfranco Ferré’s only years in creative direction, which seemed perfect for interpreting that moment. The idea of a certain maximalism that permeates the entire collection comes from there, and also from a part of my aesthetic universe” , continued the American designer.
“We explored a mixture of chaos and maniacal perfectionism. generated a clash of eras and moments, between fragments of historical and contemporary antiquity. All this in the name of a conversation between different spaces, times and generations”. The whole paraded under the eyes of Christina Aguilera , Paula Abdul , Rita Ora, Christina Ricci, Amber Valletta, Brooklyn and Nicola Peltz Beckham, Lucien Laviscount and Shalom Harlow .
An exploration of generations and styles. A conversation that starts with Monsieur Christian Dior ‘s journey in April 1957, during his first foray into Los Angeles. A crew of skaters and surfers, young & cool kids with a free spirit and a happy soul, parades. With his hair painted like in a fresco, he mixes streetwear and urbanwear. The shirts display: “California couture” . On the podium, a powerful remix that we will find during the after party, which brought Dj Harvey to the decks. A mix of precious embroideries and colors inspired by Hollywood beaches, lurex and sportswear, quilting in melting tones and refined cuts, talking sweaters and workshop constructions, street bomber jackets, oversized skater sweaters , embroidered light caning and sewing work. The accessories play on the same contrast:
XXL sneakers and Saddle bags with oversized shoulder straps in golden chains. The cape made from fabrics of sports sweaters and fragments of university tartan tells the story of opulence in the purest Ferré style. This parade of 41 looks ends with the last look consisting of a groom in a white suit, with sports shoes and a couture veil.
