Kim Jones Taps Chitose Abe for First-Ever Dior x sacai Co-branded Collection
The long-time friends have unveiled their first collaboration.
For the first time, Dior has joined forces with sacai to create a capsule collection described by the luxury fashion house as a “creative conversation between two designers, two heritages and two cultures.”
Featuring 57 ready-to-wear pieces, the collection is comprised of clothing, footwear, bags and accessories, almost entirely in black and white hues. Special details see Dior’s floral motifs appear on sacai fabrics, the use of denim – a classic Japanese fashion staple – to craft workwear items, as well as a unique co-branded logo that places sacai’s name into the “i” in Dior. Notable offerings include the Saddle universe bags, which see the classic silhouette updated with sacai-inspired details like pockets and drawstrings. As for other Saddle bag options, we see a combination of olive and orange tones dressing smooth leather and nylon materials – a nod to the signature bomber jackets. Footwear, such as the Dior Snow and Dior Explorer boots, take on a layered look, and custom jewelry arrives in gold and silver finishes rounded off with sacai’s pearls.
Kim Jones discussed the collaboration with WWD, explaining, “sacai is one of my first stops when I go to Japan. I’ve always loved [Chitose Abe] and I just think she’s one of the coolest women in the world. And we talked about doing this since I was at Vuitton, and then it finally happened. I love Japan. I haven’t been for over a year now, which is the longest in 20 years I haven’t been. I normally go at least six times a year. I always work on things that I miss doing in real life and seeing. It’s just a really key mix between what Dior and [sacai] is, and it was a way of having a conversation through the pandemic.”
Chitose Abe also spoke to WWD, saying “Dior is a very respected heritage brand which I’ve admired ever since I decided to become a designer, so its a huge honour. It’s also a brand that has historically demonstrated the history of innovation, but I’m sure that for a Maison like this, the decision to add another brand name to its own is not taken lightly. Doing so shows that it is committed to always being innovative and challenging.”
The anticipated collection is the first collaboration between long-time friends Jones and Abe, and will release in November 2021, so stay tuned as any updates surface.
