The new Dior x Birkenstock capsule

Dior unveils the 1947 CD capsule, highlighting the exciting exchange between Kim Jones and the legacy of Monsieur Dior. Emblematic of the line, a new signature (given by the union of the name "Christian Dior" and "1947", the year of the French brand's first fashion show) appears on irresistible creations such as the iconic Saddle bag in grey leather. As a final surprise, the brand joined forces with Birkenstock for the first time, presenting two emblematic models reinvented: the Tokio mules and the Milano sandals with a subtle homage to the founder's passion for gardening. "Luckily there are flowers", Mr Dior used to say. Known as an art dealer, architecture enthusiast and passionate fashion designer, he also dabbled in gardening and it was in Granville, in the rose garden of the family home overlooking the sea, that the fascination of the intertwining of nature and culture blossomed in his childhood.

Alongside his mother Madeleine, the young Christian enriched his botanical knowledge among roses, wisteria and maritime pines: «I loved more than anything else to learn the names and descriptions of flowers by heart», wrote Monsieur Dior in his memoirs. For the Dior men's winter 2022-2023 collection, the fashion house and Kim Jones pay tribute to this passion by joining forces with Birkenstock for the first time to reinvent two of its iconic models. The Milano model, launched in 1965, was conceived as an outdoor sandal for active, nature-loving people, while the Tokio model, launched in 1987, was created as a protective shoe for walking and occupations that require standing for long periods of time. Both felt and suede models of the collaboration are dressed in the colours of the season, in addition to the essential Dior grey.

Celebrating the art of gardening, the shoes offer functional style thanks to rubber details and industrial buckles. The result of a unique creative dialogue, Birkenstock's anatomically shaped orthopaedic cork footbed is lined in smooth leather, while the sole combines Dior's oblique pattern with the German brand's signature bones graphic. As a final surprise, an exceptional version of the Tokio, hand-embroidered with delicate flowers, completes the couture silhouettes of the show, a contemporary ode to functionality and elegance.