Kim Jones marks his first year as artistic director of Dior Men by creating a coffee table book of over 100 black-and-white photographs of his friends and colleagues, titled “The Dior Sessions.”
Shot on film over the course of nine months and across three continents by long standing friend and Nikolai von Bismarck, the collection of portrait features the likes of Von Bismarck’s partner and Jones’s close friend Kate Moss, her daughter Lila Grace Moss-Hack, A$AP Rocky, Robert Pattinson, David Beckham, Demi Moore, Eddie Redmayne, Takashi Murakami, and Jude Law.
Since switching from Louis Vuitton, Jones wanted his own version of Raf Simons’ “Dior and I” . “I wanted to do a book of the first part of Dior — a document, in a timeless way,” said Jones. The reason why he asked von Bismarck was simply due to his admiration. “I love Nikolai’s work and it suited what I wanted to do – so I said let’s make a book together.”
Von Bismarck on the other hand, went on with the project after receiving an epiphany from a long conversation he had with Sir Donald McCullin two years in prior. After showing he renowned British photojournalist his reportage work from Ethiopia, Myanmar and Mozambique, he suggested von Bismark to embarki on a portraiture project in London instead of traveling back to Africa. After a long walk and talk with Jones, who had just taken the helm at Dior, Jones offered him just the opportunity to pursue his next project. “He suggested we collaborate on a book, and how could I say no?” says von Bismark.
What followed soon was the complex and intense scheduling. Von Bismark worked 16- to 18- hour days on the book, choosing layouts, font and cover options for weeks on end. “We were referencing, researching, shooting, developing the film, contacting, editing, printing and archiving,” explains Von Bismarck. “I’d have to say Tokyo was probably the most extreme [of the shoots]. We photographed 12 people in two days and flew straight back to London. It was also my favourite.”
A portion of the sales from the £102 book – the first of its kind dedicated to Dior menswear – will benefit the Teenage Cancer Trust.
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