Jonathan Anderson Honours Lynda Benglis In His Second Haute Couture Collection for Dior

Images courtesy of Dior.

Every artist gets their turn as Jonathan Anderson’s muse, and this time American sculptor Lynda Benglis has her turn. Today’s Haute Couture collection for Dior was an homage to her techniques, including pleating and knotting. From 1982 all the way along to the 1990s, Benglis created pleats using sprayed and polished wire mesh - Anderson gives it an Haute Couture makeover via hand-plissé. If you believed the invitations were just because of the weather, you get half a gold star.

Images courtesy of Dior.

Anderson has so far been presenting a beautifully strong case for his tenure, and flits perfectly between extreme cultural awareness both contemporary and artistic. The show itself took place at the Musée Rodin, the same setting that played host to his previous collection, a stunning show of reverence towards Magdalene Odundo. This time, the overall silhoutte felt invariably softer throughout, a delicate tribute that felt fittingly artsy (...and craftsy?).

Images courtesy of Dior.

Suspend belief and the silver netting looks just like hardened chicken wire, the fabrics chartaceous. India is a leading inspiration for Benglis, who drew upon the form of birds she saw whilst in Ahmedabad for her Peacocks series. The most strikingly imaginative looks in the show were hand-embellished and melded into dress form, the fans building an imperatively avant-garde narrative around the creations. Anderson is arguably a craftsman of many forms, though tends to centralise his work around them more often than not. The spotlight fell upon Indian craft for him as a result of his study, chintz being a primary focus - decorative arts in Europe consisted of this method of block- or hand-painted cottons, which were intricately woven. Mini Lady Dior bags were the canvas for this technique.

Images courtesy of Dior.

Again with Anderson’s juxtapositions we go, but he sets them together so well - the duality of environments inspired many parts of the collection, including its floristry, to demonstrate the contrast between the home of Benglis’s personal and professional domain, and Santa Fey’s somewhat parched yet lucid environment. Tassels and fringing are party to the passementerie, mirrors of Benglis’s forms, along with lattice overlays most noticeable in the footwear. Anderson has turned to the more exotic of floral inspirations for this collection, again drawing upon New Mexico and Gujarat’s landscapes. Mother-of-pearl, rock crystal, and carved green onyx - the latter designed to resemble emeralds, historically associated with the vitality of nature of which Anderson is known to adore - are utilised in the jewellery, with compositions again resembling Peacocks.

Images courtesy of Dior.

Anderson has constantly represented his collaborations well, and again has set off on a strong foot with the collection - Haute Couture is a true art form, and his valuation for the craft shines through. His previous Haute Couture show almost feels now like a direct prequel to what we saw today and, in true fashion, the Musée Rodin exhibition, Grammar of Forms, will be presented once again from the 7th until the 12th of July.

Images courtesy of Dior.