For summer 2021, Dior Men’s Artistic Director Kim Jones collaborates with Ghanaian-born artist Amoako Boafo.
The two first met in 2019 at The Rubell Museum in Miami, and it was artistic love at first sight, where they had an intimate, all-encompassing and honest cultural conversation, built upon a true mutual admiration for each other’s work.
Having spent his childhood years in a number of African countries, Jones has a special relationship with the continent and the land, in turn, has been one of the infinite sources of inspiration for his work. Boafao’s work, meanwhile, are explorations of his own identity and perceptions of blackness—specifically black masculinity. Expressing and mixing different cultures and techniques, Boafo’s artwork is transposed onto garments illustrating savoir-faire and the history of haute couture.
Each piece is a collaboration, a dialogue. Yes, Boafo’s artworks are the main inspiration but also an essential foundation for the collection. The colors in this collection are drawn from his vivid, near-surreal hues such as fluorescent yellow, blue, coral and green. Prints are drawn from the graphic patterns that characterize Boafo’s work. Silhouettes are narrow, streamlined, sportswear-influenced yet with the perfect tailoring characteristic of a couture house. It is a celebration of identity, of the power of creativity, of art’s ability to transport.
Among the accessories highlights of the season are the Dior Atlas sandals and the Maxi Saddle bag—an original new format—that complete looks imbued with a singular audacity. All these pieces create multiple styles for everyday life, celebrating freedom and diversity, and reflect the many facets of the contemporary man.
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