Dior named Jonathan Anderson its next womenswear designer as owner LVMH seeks to revive growth at the struggling brand.
This makes Anderson creative director for the women’s, men’s and haute couture collections.
He will present his first collection, Dior Spring/Summer 2026 menswear, Dior said in a statement Monday (June 2).
Anderson replaces Maria Grazia Chiuri, who spent nine years in the role before stepping down last week.
The move greatly expands Anderson’s duties after the designer, a native of Northern Ireland, was given direction of Dior’s menswear line in April.
The roles had previously been split. Kim Jones, the brand’s former menswear designer, left in January.
LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE’s key fashion and leather goods unit, which includes Dior and Louis Vuitton, saw organic sales fall 5% in the first quarter.
Read more: Dior’s first female head of womenswear, Maria Grazia Chiuri, steps down
While the company doesn’t provide financial performance by brands, HSBC estimates that Christian Dior Couture likely had sales of €8.71bil (approximately RM42.28bil) last year and earnings before interest and taxes of €2.74bil (RM13.3bil).
After years of double-digit growth rates, with blockbuster products such as the Dior Book tote bag that can sell for €2,750 (RM13,350), Dior has been underperforming the larger Louis Vuitton in recent quarters as its collections fail to resonate with consumers.
The wider luxury market has suffered as well, hurt by weak demand in China and an escalating trade war.
LVMH chief executive officer Bernard Arnault’s eldest child, Delphine, 50, has been CEO of Dior for more than two years.
Anderson was creative director of Loewe, an LVMH brand known for its leather bags, for more than a decade until March. The label experienced "exceptional growth” during Anderson’s tenure, the company said when announcing his departure. – Bloomberg
