Jonathan Anderson Dedicates Dior’s Spring/Summer 2026 Haute Couture Collection to Materials that Carry Memory
- Nada Armanious
- Fashion
Dior has unveiled its Spring/Summer 2026 Haute Couture collection, dedicated to experimentation. Conceived as a laboratory of ideas and time-honored techniques, the collection explores objects marked by time, materials that hold memory, purpose, and inherited meaning. Creative Director Jonathan Anderson draws inspiration from elements shaped by use and history rather than perfection alone.
Photo provided by Dior
For his first couture outing at the House, Anderson approaches each piece like a wunderkammer: a cabinet of curiosities where museum-worthy artifacts and natural marvels are brought together and reimagined. One of his key sources of inspiration comes from freshly gathered bunches of cyclamen, gifted to him by former Dior Creative Director John Galliano.
Photo provided by Dior
Handwork becomes the collection’s quiet protagonist. Delicate florals appear both enlarged and miniaturized (cut from weightless silks or condensed into dense embroideries) while layers of chiffon and organza are built up like plumage. Knitwear enters the couture conversation, reinforcing Anderson’s focus on craftsmanship and tactile experimentation. Sculptural handbags make their haute couture debut as objects designed not just to be worn, but to subtly alter posture and presence. You can find nature-inspired motifs appear alongside reimagined alongside some of your favorite pieces such as the Lady Dior.
Photo provided by Dior
For shoes, the collection incorporates exclusive materials across sandals, mules, pumps, and flats. Some are wrapped in 18th-century French fabrics, while others are adorned with Anderson’s signature trompe-l’œil scale effects, silk cyclamen petals, opal medallions, and even fluffy yarns.
Photo provided by Dior
Now let’s talk couture jewelry. Delicately painted 18th-century oval miniatures by artists Rosalba Carriera and John Smart are reinterpreted and reborn as brooches, framed with pearls, bows, and hand-painted orchids. There’s also a striking lineup of chunky cuffs and rings crafted from ornamental stones and meteorite fragments.
And here’s the exciting part: starting Tuesday the 27th, the Musée Rodin show location will host Grammar of Forms, a week-long presentation placing a selection of Jonathan Anderson’s haute couture designs in dialogue with iconic creations by Christian Dior, alongside ceramic sculptures by Magdalene Odundo.