Building a Brand in the Jonathan Anderson Era

Also starring: god-tier Proenza Schouler mesh flats

Happy Sunday!

Jonathan Anderson, of cracked egg heels and surrealist Loewe fame, is officially the new sole creative director of Dior. That means menswear, womenswear, and haute couture, all under one visionary umbrella.

If it feels like you've heard this news before, you’re not imagining things.

The drip-feed of headlines leading up to it (timeline below, ICYMI) dulled the impact slightly. But make no mistake: this week’s confirmation marks a seismic shift. To hand the full creative reins of one of fashion’s most mythologised houses to someone who made pixelated knits chic? That’s not just news, that’s a cultural pivot.

But before we get into it, every week I recommend three outfits for your week ahead, for work, for brunch, and for attending a wedding. Here are this week’s three outfits.

Work Outfit

Clockwise from top left: Sass and Bide Trench Coat, Cos Tee, Toteme Drop Necklace, Assembly Knit Jumper, Toteme Belted Bucket Bag, Lee Matthews Jeans, Jenni Kayne Loafers, Elka Belt

Brunch Outfit

Clockwise from top left: Toteme Coat, Rohe Turtleneck, Toteme Corduroy Shirt, Proenza Schouler Mesh Flats, Friends with Frank Jeans, Jil Sander Shoulder Bag

Wedding Outfit

Clockwise from top left: Sir Coat, Tiffany Elsa Peretti Earrings, Khaite Bag, Sir Dress, Camilla and Marc Pumps

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The Rise of World-Builders: Jonathan Anderson and Dior’s New Era

Image from L'étiquette

If you, like me, experienced a mild case of déjà vu upon hearing that Jonathan Anderson has been appointed as the sole creative director of Dior, menswear, womenswear, and haute couture, you’d be forgiven.

The timeline’s been trickling in for months:

In January, Kim Jones stepped down from Dior Men.

By March, after a swirl of rumours, it was confirmed that Anderson would be leaving Loewe. Naturally, fashion watchers connected the dots: Dior was calling.

In April, the news landed that Anderson was confirmed as the new head of Dior Men, announced not with a bang but in an LVMH shareholders meeting.

Then, last week, following the Dior Resort 2026 show, came another twist: Maria Grazia Chiuri’s final bow after a decade leading womenswear.

But the real bombshell came this week. Anderson would not only design menswear, but also take over womenswear and haute couture. Every collection, every campaign, every sequin and silhouette—his. It’s the first time since Christian Dior himself that one creative director has held the reins over the entire house.

It’s a staggering vote of confidence, but also a signal. Fashion’s centre of gravity may be shifting toward those who do more than just design clothes.

When Anderson joined LVMH in 2013 as creative director of Loewe, the brand was a dusty Spanish leather house with a heritage problem. What followed was one of the most successful brand revivals of our time. Anderson didn’t just modernise Loewe, he made it cool. With anthurium dresses, pigeon clutches, balloon silhouettes and surrealist accessories, he made weirdness a luxury. And he made it sell.

Pictured: Tagwalk runway images showcasing Anderson’s surrealist silhouettes.

Where brands like The Row and Khaite have refined “quiet luxury” into a language of digestible elegance, Anderson offers its foil: distorted, uncomfortable, ugly-chic, and somehow still bought by the same customer. That is power. He tapped into a collective desire for fashion that challenges norms and provokes thought, proving that commercial success doesn't have to come at the expense of creativity.

This announcement had me thinking about what it now means to be a designer…or more broadly, a founder, creative director, or anyone building a brand in today’s climate. Anderson’s genius isn’t just in the product, but in the world-building. Loewe under Anderson wasn’t just selling clothes, it was selling an ecosystem. A surrealist universe. Every detail, from logo to lookbook to cultural placement (think back to the famous Loewe breastplate Rihanna wore for the Super Bowl 2023 Halftime Show), worked in service of the story.

Pictured: Rihanna at the Super Bowl 2023 Halftime Show Wearing Alaïa maxi puffer coat styled over Loewe breastplate outfit by Jonathan Anderson

He cast intellectual tastemakers as ambassadors, styled films (hello Challengers) to reflect the brand's spirit, and monetised it all through accessories that sold in staggering volume. It was a masterclass in creating a world people want to belong to (and felt smart doing so)—and then giving them a handbag or tank top to buy their way in.

Pictured: Zendaya, Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor in Challengers (2024), with costume design by Jonathan Anderson.

And while Anderson is now operating on a $9 billion scale, the principle holds across the board. Lately, I’ve had conversations with small business owners facing the same existential shift. It’s no longer enough to have a beautiful product and great customer service. You’re expected to be the main character of your own brand story. Design, content, storytelling, social media, founder branding. It’s all part of the job now.

You must be aspirational and relatable. Creative and commercially savvy. Funny on TikTok, polished on Instagram, strategic on email, visionary on Pinterest. Whether you’re in fashion, like me, or maybe you sell handmade ceramics, or you’re in real estate, podcasting, or even selling cars (see: NZ Cheap Cars genius Tiktok feed here, at risk of losing your next 30 minutes), you’re expected to be a Scorsese-level director, with Jennifer Lawrence-level relatability.

And that’s why Anderson’s appointment matters. LVMH isn’t just investing in a designer. They’re backing a world-builder. A curator of culture. Someone who understands the alchemy of absurdity, emotion, intellect and sales, and how to translate it into a business.

And in this case, they’re betting $9 billion on it.