Since taking his final walk down the runway in January 2018 as the men's artistic director of Louis Vuitton, Kim Jones' next move has been highly speculated. The speculation can now end as Jones will be taking over as the new artistic director of Dior Homme for ready-to-wear and accessories collections.
The Parisian fashion house made the announcement official via social media by welcoming Jones to the brand.
Jones also thanked Pietro Beccari and Bernard Arnault for helping with the "next chapter of my career."
Jones will be replacing current director Kris Van Assche who has held the title for the past 11 years. Van Assche will be taking over a new role with LVMH. Jones is scheduled to present his first collection this June at Paris Fashion Week.
The addition of Jones will likely bring some new eyes over to Dior Homme in the same way LV was able to tap into a new demographic through its polarizing collaboration with streetwear enigma Supreme in 2017. While Dior Homme has previously attempted to tap into the younger crowd with brand ambassadors like ASAP Rocky, a fresh spin on the garments themselves could bode well for the brand, too.
Jones' final appearance with Louis Vuitton was at the brand's Fall 2018 presentation at Paris Fashion Week in January, which he closed with a walk down the runway alongside Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss. Jones held the position since 2011 and as previously mentioned has been credited with reinvigorating the iconic brand in recent years with a streetwear influence in his collections. Of course, Jones' departure still begs the question of who will be taking over the vacancy at Louis Vuitton. Previous speculation has indicated Off-White's Virgil Abloh as a potential candidate.
