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Who is Jonathan Anderson, Dior men’s new creative director?
On Thursday, April 17, 2025, Dior announced the appointment of Jonathan Anderson as the artistic director of its men’s collections. Just a few months after leaving Loewe, where he had served as creative director since 2013, the Northern Irish designer will present his first collection for the LVMH-owned house this June during Fashion Week. This follows the departure of Kim Jones, announced on January 31, 2025.
by Léa Zetlaoui.
Jonathan Anderson appointed creative director of Dior Men’s collections
It’s official: as of Thursday, April 17, 2025, Jonathan Anderson has been named the new artistic director of Dior Men after months of speculation. Following a turbulent 2024, the house founded in 1946 announced the departure of Kim Jones in late January 2025. Amid a difficult economic context, Bernard Arnault, president of LVMH, issued a statement earlier that morning: “I can confirm that the next Christian Dior menswear show, to be held this June, will be designed by Jonathan Anderson,” aiming to reassure investors.
While Maria Grazia Chiuri presented her Dior Fall 2025 women’s show in Kyoto’s Toji Temple garden on April 15, Jonathan Anderson’s potential appointment to lead the women’s collections remains uncertain…
Following in the footsteps of Gucci, Versace, Chanel, Maison Margiela, and Celine, the Avenue Montaigne house is also rethinking its creative strategy. And Jonathan Anderson’s appointment at Dior Men looks particularly promising. Numéro explains why.
Miuccia Prada, Hedi Slimane, and Tom Ford among his inspirations
Before becoming one of the most acclaimed designers of his generation, Jonathan Anderson aspired to be an actor. While studying at Juilliard in New York, he pivoted toward costume design and enrolled at London College of Fashion.
After graduating in 2005, the Irish designer began his career as a visual merchandiser at Prada. Alongside Miuccia Prada—whom he names as a key influence—Anderson also cites 1990s and 2000s fashion titans like Hedi Slimane and Tom Ford.
“It’s inevitable that the icons of your youth will influence you. When I was young, Tom Ford was everywhere. His approach to branding had a huge impact on me. Hedi Slimane was a major figure when I was a student,” he told Numéro in a 2015 interview.
An eclectic career
In 2008, at age 24, Anderson launched JW Anderson, a menswear label that quickly gained traction in the British fashion industry. Supported by the British Fashion Council in 2010, he presented his first runway show at London Fashion Week, and in 2012 collaborated with Topshop and Versace.
At the time, Donatella Versace was betting on emerging talents to revitalize her Versus line (Anthony Vaccarello would follow). With Anderson, the brand gained a bold and ironic edge.
A year later, in 2013, Jonathan Anderson joined the LVMH group, which invested in his brand and appointed him artistic director of Loewe, the Spanish luxury house founded in 1846 and acquired in 1996. In March 2025, Anderson left Loewe, and the label’s creative direction was taken over by American design duo Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez of Proenza Schouler.
Over more than a decade of smooth collaboration, the Anderson/Loewe pairing proved successful—Lyst ranked Loewe the most-searched brand of the first half of 2023.
In parallel, Anderson collaborated multiple times through JW Anderson with Moncler—reinterpreting its iconic down jackets—and Uniqlo.
His collections for the Japanese brand are inspired by his own style: “I created a wardrobe I would wear every day. These designs reflect my personal lifestyle,” he said in a 2021 interview.
A multidisciplinary designer with a rich CV, Jonathan Anderson thrives on bold experimentation, which is evident in his collections, blending playful irreverence and humor.
With Jonathan Anderson, fashion is a game
“The idea of codes is obsolete because audiences get bored within 24 hours. Today, we must entertain—that’s the challenge across all industries,” he told Numéro in 2015. And if there’s one thing Anderson does well, it’s creating fashion that entertains.
Through JW Anderson and Loewe, he’s crafted a world where fashion, art, and pop culture intermingle without ever becoming overly conceptual. A fashion for insiders, perhaps, but one that resonates with the masses. His forward-thinking vision recalls that of Miuccia Prada, with whom he got his start.
Jonathan Anderson and his teams embrace every challenge when it comes to celebrating—or parodying—contemporary life, as long as craftsmanship remains at the core.
Each show includes its share of transformed everyday objects, animals, fruits, or flowers turned into garments and accessories—like the now-iconic pigeon clutch seen in And Just Like That. A delight for a community addicted to his playful post-internet sensibility.
Always pragmatic, his wardrobes consist of reinvented essentials: bold volumes, technical materials. Loewe’s Puzzle and Elephant bags are exemplary for their unrivaled quality.
A passion for design and craftsmanship
Since 2016, Anderson has overseen the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize, honoring independent makers around the world for their exceptional skills in disciplines ranging from woodwork and ceramics to textile arts and jewelry.
The prize has fostered a generation of international artists and artisans. In 2024, Mexican artist Andrés Anza won the €50,000 award for his monumental ceramic sculpture I only know what I have seen, standing over 4 meters tall.
An expert in marketing and communication
Anderson’s DNA quickly became synonymous with irreverent wit. In 2019, he launched a tongue-in-cheek campaign called JWA TV, parodying late-night infomercials. The three-part series humorously introduced JW Anderson handbags such as the Keyts, Anchor, Logo, and Bike bags.
A few years later at Loewe, Anderson’s impish spirit resurfaced in a campaign featuring legendary actress Maggie Smith (who sadly passed away on September 27, 2024), captured by controversial photographer Juergen Teller. Longtime collaborators, Anderson and Teller share a love for absurd setups and biting humor that give the Spanish house a rare irreverent edge in luxury.
His latest feat? Designing costumes for Challengers, Luca Guadagnino’s hotly anticipated film starring Gen Z icon Zendaya, released in April 2024. Buoyed by the movie’s success, Anderson is set to collaborate again with Guadagnino on Queer, starring Daniel Craig.