Hylton Nel’s Ceramic Takes Centerstage at the Dior Men Spring Summer 2025 Show
“This is the lifeblood of Dior,” said designer Kim Jones, Dior Men’s creative director, about the brand’s latest fashion show showcased on June 21. Merging craftsmanship, artisan mastery and the work of contemporary South African artist Hylton Nel, the collection explored the idea of lifelong dedication to creative work and global savoir-faire.
While on the runway, streamlined silhouettes, practical pieces and ceramic references took centerstage, on the sidelines, stars such as Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny, Korean icons TOMORROW X TOGETHER (TXT) and Cha Eun Woo, as well as Thai actor Mile Phakphum, lit up the front row.
Read on to discover the highlights of Dior Men’s Spring Summer 2025 presentation.
The Collection
“This collection is a celebration of work and an expression of who somebody is and what they achieve through work, that legacy and continuity through time,” explained creative director Kim Jones about his latest collection.
Combining functionality and craftsmanship, and borrowing elements from South African ceramicist Hylton Nel’s oeuvre and Dior’s archival couture, Jones brought together juxtaposed concepts like “the humble and the noble.”
The designer found inspiration in the Dior archives. The tailoring, for example, drew elements from an unrealized sketch by Yves Saint Laurent — created during his short tenure at the Parisian Maison. Taken from the Fall Winter 1958 collection, the sketch featured a coat that was finally realized for the Dior Men SS25 collection. With Kim Jones set on reinventing archival womenswear as menswear, the same Saint Laurent coat and pieces like the “Negatif,” a silhouette from the Dior Fall Winter 1960 collection, informed other looks.
The runway incorporated graphics, prints and fastenings referencing Nel’s ceramic. Standout pieces included knit tops adorned with ceramic buttons, jackets embracing the classic white and blue combination often seen on ceramic across cultures, and a graphic sweater that read “Dior for my real friends” — supposedly, Jones’ twist on Bacon’s “champagne for my real friends and real pain for my sham friends.
Pops of mint, yellow and pink complemented a color palette rich in neutral tones like brown, tan and white. More subtly, dark green and blue made appearances on the catwalk as standalone looks or single pieces.
The Accessories
The playful, almost childlike prints on the clothing were also introduced in accessories such as socks, floating collars and brooches. The same lively spirit extended to other accessories like the cloche hats designed by Stephen Jones in collaboration with the South African company Earth Age. Dior commissioned local craftspeople in Cape Town to hand-crochet each hat, while the ateliers in Paris adorned the hats with ceramic beads — bridging both cities’ craftsmanship and artisanal skills.
As for footwear, Dior put a twist on the clog, handcrafting them with Derby shoes and biker boots’ elements. Some shoes were decorated with studded shapes replicated on the bags and some pieces of clothing.
The Stage
Departing from Dior Men’s regular show space in École Militaire, Kim Jones took his latest presentation to Val-de-Grâce, by École Normale Supérieure, in the 5th arrondissement of Paris. Mixing kitsch with contemporary sensibilities and a dash of cuteness, the venue was a large theatrical space decorated with imposing dog and cat ceramic figures — a signature of Hylton Nel’s body of work.
In the back of the room, a large staircase served as the backdrop for a grand finale where models climbed the structure in unison as Kate Bush’s “Cloudbusting” played in the background.
The Front Row
No Dior show is complete without the star power of the brand’s most esteemed friends, ambassadors and collaborators.
Channeling the show’s cat-and-dog-themed runway, actor Demi Moore was one of the first to arrive at the front row. She arguably outdid every other attendant, showing up with her chihuahua Pilaf in arms, but attention also focused on Latin American VIPs Bad Bunny and Maluma — the latest sported pieces from Dior’s first-ever men’s couture collection, presented last season. Actors Robert Pattinson, Thomas Doherty and Louis Garrel also stopped by Val-de-Grâce, dressed in menswear classics, from suits to flight jackets.
However, the highlight — just like every season — was the attendance of stars from the Asia Pacific region. Dior brand ambassadors TXT, Cha Eun Woo and Mile Phakphum held the fascination (and attention) of the press of fellow showgoers.
Thai star Mile Phakphum wore one of the most fashionable colors in menswear right now — chocolate brown — along with a playful graphic sweater, a dark coat and his signature curtain hair hairstyle for the ultimate leading man look. Meanwhile, TXT — sans member Beomgyu who unfortunately had to sit out from Paris Fashion Week this season — donned coordinated outfits featuring elevated chore jackets and relaxed-fit pants. The “Cat & Dog” singers kept things cohesive opting for a tan and blue color palette.
Cha Eun Woo embraced summer with a pair of shorts and put a dressed-up twist to his OOTD with a leather jacket. Other APAC stars like Chinese Canadian singer Henry Lau, Thai actor James Jirayu and Born to Fly star Yu Shi also enjoyed the spotlight, dressed in head-to-toe Dior fits.
Interested in more Fashion Week content? Check out the best celebrity moments at Men’s Paris Fashion Week Spring Summer 2025 here.
