After introducing the world to the Dior Oblique pattern in 1967 by then-creative director Marc Bohan, the Maison has brought back with the Dior Gravity tote.
The defining mark of a fashion house lies in its iconography, an unspoken understanding amongst fashion enthusiasts. Iconography builds a brand and, with every passing season, the only constant change lies in its rendition. To see how every creative force behind each maison defines and redefines the house’s icon is what makes fashion exciting. Sometimes, they hit the mark; other times, the arrow lands completely out of bounds, but the revolutionary ones are the experimentals.
Many will agree that Kim Jones is one of the few modern creative directors that deserve a spotlight. Recently, he redefined an emblem of the house, the Dior Oblique, for the house’s Autumn 2024 collection. The monogram was first conceived almost 60 years ago, by the then creative head Marc Bohan. Since then, it has been emblematic of the Maison’s luxury and leather goods. To Jones, perhaps this is a playground for innovation.
When it comes to reinterpreting iconic motifs, texture is essential. For the Autumn 2024 season, Jones took the symbol and embossed it onto leather, a shift from its more classic jacquard rendition. The supple leather bears the faint marks of the Oblique, achieved by an embossing technique unique to the house. It is then aptly named the Dior Gravity, a nod to the gravitational force that helped form the monogram on the leather.
Beyond unveiling his new innovation, the Dior Gravity is also a play of the Oblique motif. The proportions of the monogram is masterfully tinkered with; it appears in its original scale on small leather goods, but resized to its maxi version on statement bags. Crafted in an array of muted neutral hues, the Dior Gravity takes form in leather accessories and the house’s iconic sneakers, the B33 and B27.
A refreshing take on the house’s monogram legacy, Dior Gravity is both contemporary yet elegant. The Oblique is recreated with the art of subtlety, hidden between the lines on the leather. A little ‘now you see me, now you don’t’. For the eyes who see, they see class. They see Dior.
(All Images by Brett Lloyd)
This story first appeared in Augustman Singapore.
