Jonathan Anderson’s monumental debut for Christian Dior transformed the heart of Los Angeles into a cinematic fever dream.
Held at the newly opened David Geffen Galleries at LACMA, the show was a love letter to Hollywood’s golden age and the surrealism of West Coast car culture.
While Anderson continues to lead Loewe and his namesake label, the Cruise collection marked his first statement as the Creative Director of Dior.
Moving away from the traditional Parisian salon, Anderson opted for the blank canvas of Peter Zumthor’s architecture, which represents one of the most significant and debated architectural shifts in modern museum history. Replacing four of the museum's original buildings, the new structure is designed to function as a horizontal and non-hierarchical space for art.
The show’s production design was meticulously crafted to feel like a high-fashion film set. The decor was defined by three distinct elements, the museum as runway, vintage car culture, and surrelism.
The show utilised the LACMA David Geffen Galleries before they were even open to the general public. The sweeping, elevated architecture allowed the models to weave through a continuous gallery level, turning the museum's glass-walled perimeter into a viewing deck for the Los Angeles skyline.
The centerpiece of the set was a curated selection of retro convertibles and classic American automobiles stationed across the floor. These weren't just props; guests were seated among the cars, blurring the line between a drive-in theater and a gala.
Throughout the show, simulated fog drifted low across the floor, catching the light like a scene from a 1940s film noir, accompanied by harsh, dramatic spotlights that mimicked those used on old Hollywood soundstages, casting long, geometric shadows that complemented Anderson's sharp tailoring.
The accessories served as architectural extensions of the set. Models wore dramatic, towering headpieces made of feathers or wire that spelled out words like "Dior," "Star," and "Buzz." These chic antennae added a layer of Anderson’s signature quirk to the otherwise glamorous, cinematic environment.
Amongst the designs was a revival of the John Galliano-era newspaper print, which appeared on bags and silks, nodding to Anderson’s reimagining of Dior’s iconic past.
By merging the raw industrial feel of the new LACMA building with the romanticism of vintage Hollywood, Anderson successfully launched a new era for Dior that feels both historically grounded and wildly experimental.
Here’s some of our favourite looks.
The convergence of haute couture and Californian pop culture at LACMA represents far more than an ambitious runway show; it marks a significant conceptual shift in how historic European fashion houses approach global storytelling. By choosing Los Angeles over Paris for his foundational Cruise collection, Jonathan Anderson explicitly acknowledged that modern luxury is no longer defined solely by European heritage, but by the dynamic cross-pollination of art, architecture, and popular media.
Peter Zumthor’s architecture for LACMA has been one of the most debated cultural projects of the decade, celebrated for its refusal to enforce traditional museum hierarchies. Anderson’s decision to stage the collection within this horizontal space was a deliberate masterstroke. Staging a high-fashion show inside a non-hierarchical space challenges the traditional elitism of fashion week presentations. As models moved along the glass walls, visible to both invited guests indoors and onlookers outside on Wilshire Boulevard, the boundary between exclusive couture and public art dissolved.
What makes Anderson’s approach particularly fascinating is his refusal to indulge in superficial nostalgia. Rather than offering a simple homage to Hollywood, he systematically deconstructed American visual tropes of automotive glamour, subversion of everyday staples and film noir shadowplay.
By presenting unified menswear and womenswear looks on the same runway, Anderson also demonstrated his commitment to gender-fluid dressing as a core design principle rather than a trend. The collection bridged the gap between Christian Dior’s post-war "Dream Factory" philosophy and the realities of modern dressing. In doing so, Anderson proved that heritage luxury can remain deeply respectful of its past while fearlessly embracing contemporary art, local subcultures, and radical architectural settings.
Image credit: Dior, Reuters Photo
