Legendary Collections - Vol 3. - Dior Homme Fall/Winter 2003

Dior Homme's monumental fall/winter 2003 powerhouse collection entitled "Luster" is Hedi Slimane's enduring portrait of the misunderstood artist. At first glance, the dark, layered tones seem to evoke gothicism to the untrained eye, however a closer scrutiny reveals magically illuminated fabrics, shining much like the hearts and minds of the man Slimane had in mind. Many pieces featured in this show were waxed, especially the cotton jeans, some jackets, and numerous shirts and sweaters. This was the pioneering collection for a wave of waxed clothing in menswear, a trend who's ripples were felt strongly last season at labels such as Zara and in the entire "goth ninja" trend of the late 00's. The neon hoodies featured such eloquent details as leather epaulets, a staple of early Dior, and braided cuffs around the lower arms and wrists. Additionally, coats were made with pvc tape piping, jackets with horsehair cuffs and swarovski crystals, and bags in the shape of gun holsters. It was Carol Christian Poell creativity mixed with the Yves Saint Laurent luxury of early Hedi collections, styled in such a way that would make any fashion critic drop their jaws upon first sighting. Luster also marked a turning point in Dior Homme style, as Hedi took his first step away from the aforementioned "luxurious" and formally centered look to a rock and roll mimesis of the changing definition of masculinity that was being metamorphosed by Hedi himself. Regardless of where the look was moving towards, Luster is considered by many to be the defining Dior collection. The one piece that everyone knows and wants from Luster is the Napoleon Jacket, seen at :45 in the below video. Retailing at $5,000 USD, the jacket sells for even more nowadays and is existent in numbers of under 20 worldwide. Everything from the belt straps that hang from the sides to the gold detailed epaulets and straps reveal that this jacket is sublime. Luster, the shining diamond that is misunderstood, passionate, moody, and emotional will forever be interred in the history books as the crowning achievement of menswear, the absolute purest and most spectacular expression of artistic genius, and the epitome of perfection.