Dior bets on Kylian Mbappé (and what that says about fashion in 2026)

A footballer as a Dior ambassador? Yes, but not just any footballer. In the run-up to the Spring-Summer 2026 fashion show, Dior Homme has announced an unprecedented collaboration with Kylian Mbappé, spearheaded by its new artistic director, Jonathan Anderson.

Mbappé, symbol of a changing dressing room

There’s nothing anecdotal about this choice. More than a sportsman, Mbappé embodies an era: natural charisma, quiet power, effortless elegance. He doesn’t play a role in the first teasers unveiled by the House. He is himself.

This strong positioning reflects Dior’s desire to reconnect men’s fashion with contemporary reality, where sport, culture and style meet without hierarchy.

Jonathan Anderson: a breath of fresh air at Dior

Since his arrival, Jonathan Anderson has set a clear signature: sober modernity, playfulness and graphic rigor. By associating one of the world’s most admired athletes with his first silhouettes, he builds a bridge between performance and style, in the image of a wardrobe cut out for the challenges of the present.

Mbappé’s casting is not just a media coup. It expresses a coherent, almost manifest vision: that of a Dior man who is free, elegant, connected to the world, far from the clichés of fixed masculinity.

A cultural strategy first and foremost

By announcing this collaboration even before the show, Dior is anticipating a profound shift: less spectacle, more meaning. An aesthetic in tune with a generation that expects more from brands than just a look – an attitude, a vision, a sincerity.

Don’t miss: the Dior Homme Spring/Summer 2026 show

📅 Join us on Friday June 27 at 2:30 pm (CEST) to discover Jonathan Anderson ‘s first collection for Dior.

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