Jonathan Anderson makes his Dior debut with bows and buccaneer hats at Paris Fashion Week

There have been a dozen designer debuts this season – from Demna for Gucci to Louise Trotter for Bottega Veneta.

However, perhaps none carried the weight of expectation like Jonathan Anderson’s womenswear debut for Dior.

The Irish designer, widely regarded as one of the best of his generation, kicked off a new era at Dior earlier this year, when he took over as creative director for menswear, womenswear and couture. It is the first time that all of the maison’s offerings are under the purview of one person since Christian Dior himself.

Guests were greeted with historic clips of Christian Dior, sketching his iconic ‘New Look’ designs and tailoring them directly onto models, which were projected onto the walls alongside archival runway footage, which set the tone for a nostalgic show.

The message was clear: this was about dialogue with the past, but through Anderson’s own lens.

The first look captured this ethos perfectly – a wistful reworking of the 1947 “New Look,” style: all cinched waist and flared skirt, but more playful with swooping, gathered fabrics secured with large bows.

From there, Anderson began to push against Dior’s prim reputation. Punk-inspired plaids appeared alongside denim, while the bow motif, deliberately oversized, cropped up everywhere – adorning silk gowns, perched on denim mini skirts and tied across tuxedo-style shirts.

The bow became a signature of the show, bringing the naivety of Miss Dior to accompany the punkish-ness of the plaid, khaki and denim.

Elsewhere, modern twists on the buccaneer hat, styled like bandanas or wide sashes, were tied low around the forehead and knotted at the back, almost evoking romantic ideals of pirating, treasure and exploration.

Because they’re cut in luxe fabrics and styled with bows and tailoring, these items steer away from anything too costume-like, supplying the perfect, slightly rebellious accessories.

Alongside sweeping capes which lent to the theatricality of the collection, waistcoats paired with mini skirts and peep-toe heels suggested a cool mix of business and pleasure.

Slim cigarette trousers that once defined Dior’s tailoring returned in tuxedo-inspired looks. Anderson also resurrected silhouettes from a more recent era, with 2010s-inspired cold-shoulder tops, skater skirts and culottes. The mash-up of references felt deliberately eclectic, but grounded by Anderson’s trademark attention to cut.

And so if there was one thread tying it all together, it was Anderson’s way with fabric manipulation.

Ruching, ripples, bubble hems and cross-weaving brought volume and intrigue to skirts and dresses, giving them a blooming, petal-like quality.

These ultra-feminine shapes were often balanced by something masculine, like a sharp shirt or boxy accessory, underscoring the tension Anderson likes to play with.

The key trending silhouettes that emerged throughout were undoubtedly mini pea coats, petal skirts and peplum jackets. They spoke to Dior’s heritage without feeling like museum pieces and have been staple silhouettes spotted throughout other collections this season.

But this was not a designer overindulging in nostalgia – a trap others have fallen into this season – but one who knows the power of a reference and how to update it for the current day.

The overall collection managed to feel simultaneously romantic, rebellious and refreshingly wearable.

Anderson gave Dior a shot of youthful energy, but didn’t lose sight of its DNA – a truly difficult feat to pull off without feeling like a gimmick. He understands the house’s duality: its role in defining post-war femininity and its potential to express modern freedom.

The star-studded audience suggested the fashion world is already invested in this new era.

The likes of Johnny Depp, Jennifer Lawrence, Rosamund Pike and Charlize Theron were spotted on the front row, alongside editors and industry figures eager to see how Anderson would reinterpret one of Paris’s most hallowed maisons.

Anderson himself has long been known for his ability to combine intellectual rigour with commercial savvy – at his own label JW Anderson and as creative director of Loewe, where he transformed the Spanish house into one of the most exciting names in luxury.

At Dior, he inherits not just a brand but a cultural institution. His debut suggested he’s up for the challenge.