For his first haute couture outing, Jonathan Anderson approached the house’s storied ateliers as a cabinet of curiosities, a modern wunderkammer where objects shaped by time, nature, and human touch were gathered, studied, and transformed.

Unlike the theatrical provocations of the past, Anderson’s approach leaned into contemplative storytelling. Fresh cyclamen, gifted to Anderson by John Galliano, appeared as symbols of continuity, and living markers of creative lineage. These floral forms sat in dialogue with the sculptural ceramics of Magdalene Odundo, whose anthropomorphic vessels informed the collection’s tactile silhouettes and sense of grounded sensuality.

That philosophy shaped the clothes themselves. Lines moved fluidly across structured foundations, draping gently around the body to amplify gesture. Tailoring was softened without losing precision; volume appeared measured. Anderson’s couture vocabulary unfolded as a new grammar, one that expanded Dior’s historic codes while remaining acutely aware of them.

Meteorites, fossils, portrait miniatures, and 18th-century French textiles were treated as as catalysts for reinvention. Rare fabrics were reworked through patchwork and embroidery, their fragility offset by modern construction. The couturier’s hand moved effortlessly between scales: silk flowers cut with botanical realism, then miniaturised into dense embroideries; chiffon and organza shredded and layered until they resembled feathers; ballooned tops softened by veils of net.

Knitwear entered the couture conversation, foregrounding manual dexterity and experimentation. Sculptural moulded handbags debuted as fully realised objects, designed to influence posture and presence. Reimagined Lady Dior bags appeared alongside new forms, crafted from lacquer, ornamental stones, and richly textured surfaces, each piece operating as a self-contained work of art.

Shoes referenced archival Roger Vivier designs with upturned square toes, while couture jewellery transformed 18th-century miniature portraits into brooches framed with pearls, bows, and painted orchids. Meteorite fragments embedded in cuffs and rings introduced an otherworldly dimension, reminders of nature’s vastness beyond Earth.