Jonathan Anderson’s first haute couture collection for Dior was always easily one of the most anticipated moments of Haute Couture Week in Paris. Rather than looking to fashion history for his debut, the busiest man in fashion found inspiration in the sculptural practice of American artist Lynda Benglis, with a collection that blurred the boundaries between couture craftsmanship and contemporary art.
Drawing from Benglis’ work, where flat materials are manipulated through knotting, pleating, and molding into expressive three-dimensional forms, Anderson approached couture as its own sculptural medium. Across the collection, traditional techniques like hand-plissé, draping, and intricate knotting transformed fabric into architectural silhouettes, while metallic, iridescent, paper-like, and heavily embellished textiles echoed the artist’s tactile surfaces. Even the illusion of industrial chicken wire appeared reimagined in soft silver netting, showcasing the atelier’s remarkable technical precision.
The collection also explored Benglis’ long-standing connection to India, particularly Ahmedabad in Gujarat, where her celebrated Peacock series first took shape. That influence carried through vibrant floral embellishments, intricate beadwork, and Anderson’s exploration of 18th-century Indian chintz, a textile tradition whose hand-painted and block-printed cottons left an enduring mark on European decorative arts. Antique fragments of historic chintz and indiennes were incorporated into Dior’s Petit Dîner and mini Lady Dior bags for an added bit of spice.
Contrasting landscapes became another recurring motif, paring the lush colours of Gujarat with the stark desert environment of Santa Fe, New Mexico, where Benglis also maintains a home and studio. That dialogue between abundance and arid minimalism informed the collection’s palette, floral detailing, and overall sense of texture, creating an elegant tension between softness and structure.
Accessories continued the conversation. Shoes featured elongated square toes, shimmering satin finishes, and embroidered surfaces inspired by Benglis’ material experimentation, while jewellery was crafted by artisans across France and India using mother-of-pearl, rock crystal, carved onyx, micromosaics, and sterling silver interpretations of the artist’s Peacock works. Four handbag designs including a sculptural Dior Bow and a new Lady Dior, were also developed in collaboration with Benglis herself.
To accompany the collection, Dior is also presenting Grammar of Forms at the Musée Rodin through July 12, an exhibition that brings together pieces from Anderson’s couture debut alongside archival Dior creations and works by Lynda Benglis, several of which are being shown in France for the first time.
Discover the full collection below.
Images courtesy of Dior.