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PARIS, Jan 24 (Reuters) - Dior men's artistic director Kim Jones kept embellishments to a minimum for his winter 2025-2026 catwalk show, putting the focus on silhouettes, including long, cape-like coats and cropped leather jackets.
Held in a stark, indoor set at the Ecole Militaire in central Paris, the show for the LVMH-owned label kicked off with a series of all-black looks. Models descended a stark white staircase with slicked black hairdos and shiny patent leather shoes, some with blindfolds over their eyes.
Jones added softness to the lineup with a silky, ivory blouse that was slit open in the back, tailored jackets in pale pink tones and a sprinkle of crystals on a few garments. There were also fabric bows on the back of coats and the tips of shoes.
Models criss-crossed the room before disappearing down a staircase leading underground. The front row stood to applaud Jones when he entered the set for his bow, greeting Dior CEO Delphine Arnault with a hug and kissing Helene Mercier, the wife of LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault, on both cheeks.
Outside in the blustery weather, crowds gathered to see guests, who included actors Karry Wang, Joe Alwyn and Finnegan Oldfield, music producer DJ Snake and pianist Lang Lang.
Paris Men's Fashion Week runs through Jan. 26 and is followed by Haute Couture shows.
Globally, high-end labels have been grappling with a rare slowdown in appetite for fashion, with hopes pinned this year on the U.S. market for growth. (Reporting by Mimosa Spencer, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)
