Dior’s future: Can the brand thrive without Kim Jones?

What happened On January 31, Christian Dior announced that menswear artistic director Kim Jones will step down from his role at the storied fashion house after seven years at the helm. A successor has not yet been named. Dior did not provide an explanation for Jones’ departure, which follows the British designer’s final Fall/Winter 2025 collection for the brand at Paris Fashion Week last week. “I am extremely grateful for the remarkable work done by Kim Jones, his studio, and the ateliers. With all his talent and creativity, he has constantly reinterpreted the house’s heritage with genuine freedom of tone and surprising, highly desirable artistic collaborations,” Delphine Arnault, chairman and CEO of Christian Dior Couture, shared in a press statement. On his exit, Kim Jones stated: “It was a true honor to have been able to create my collections within the House of Dior, a symbol of absolute excellence. I express my deep gratitude to my studio and the ateliers who have accompanied me on this wonderful journey.” The Jing Take In the days leading up to Dior’s announcement, there had been whispers about Kim Jones’ departure, with talk of other fashion heavyweights, including Irish designer Jonathan Anderson, founder of the eponymous label JW Anderson and current creative director of Spanish label Loewe, as his potential successor. Meanwhile, Jones’ name has been touted as the next creative head of Burberry, where Daniel Lee currently leads as the label’s chief creative officer. Across the world and in China, fashion bloggers and insiders have been speculating about the big news. “In addition to his contribution to Dior Men, Kim Jones has also become known as the ‘creative director who loves Miu Miu the most,’” posted fashion writer Blucoke on Xiaohongshu (RedNote). “Whether he was leading Fendi or Dior Homme, you can see him wearing Miu Miu… However, before that, there were rumors that Loewe’s Jonathan Anderson would take over… It seems that there is no place for Kim Jones under LVMH now.” From a luxury industry perspective, Jones’ move suggests a potential change in Dior’s design direction amid declining sales as the industry faces another challenging year. There has been growing speculation about a shift in Dior's design strategy as luxury fashion houses face their slowest growth in years. LVMH’s latest financial results disappointed investors who were hoping for a stronger recovery. As we have reported, the world’s largest luxury group, which does not disclose sales by individual label, posted a 1% revenue increase in the three months to end-December, reaching 23.9 billion euros ($25 billion), but saw a sharp decline in full-year profits. Net income dropped by 17% to 12.3 billion euros ($12.8 billion) in 2024, while operating profit decreased by 14% to 19.6 billion euros ($20.4 billion). China continues to pose a major challenge for brands, with luxury market sales falling by 18% to 20% in 2024, according to Bain. LVMH’s Asia-Pacific revenue, excluding Japan, dropped by 10% in the fourth quarter and 11% for the year. The Jing Take reports on a piece of the leading news and presents our editorial team’s analysis of the key implications for the luxury industry. In the recurring column, we analyze everything from product drops and mergers to heated debate sprouting on Chinese social media.

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Dior’s future: Can the brand thrive without Kim Jones?