Dior Men and Parley for the Oceans have joined forces once again for the fashion house’s annual men’s beachwear collection.
Their first collaboration, which took place last year, was recognized with the Forbes Green Ecological Transition Prize at the first Forbes France awards. The collaboration has resulted in a collection that is 96 percent eco-responsible, according to Kim Jones, the artistic director of menswear at Dior.
Jones states, “This capsule is committed and very desirable, it’s a mix of innovation and technical performance but still very elegant“. The collection features a range of colors, including coral, lemon, and Dior’s signature gray, and is made with upcycled marine plastic debris and fishing gear recovered from coastlines around the world. Of the items in the collection, 59 percent use ocean plastic and 37 percent use fabrics with certifications such as GOTS, which restricts the use of harmful chemicals in textile production.
In 2019, Dior and Parley started a joint research project, leading to the creation of new yarns and fabrics made from upcycled materials. The teams at Dior used these materials to create pieces like shorts, pants, t-shirts, polo shirts, and sweaters. Dior views this collection as a step towards a more eco-innovative and sustainable future for fashion.
The collection also includes two additional collaborations: with surfwear maker Vissla on wetsuits made from recycled jerseys, and with French specialist Notox on an eco-responsible surfboard. LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, Dior’s parent company, has announced that by 2030, all new products will be produced with a minimal environmental footprint.
Cyrill Gutsch, CEO and founder of Parley for the Oceans, says, “Wearing a piece of Dior x Parley is an act of rebellion, it shows that you care dearly. It shows that you want to solve the environmental crisis we are facing in a creative and optimistic way“. He adds, “Together with Kim Jones and his fantastic team, we have delivered the proof that driving the material revolution is not a sacrifice, but answers to a new desire: to protect the oceans, to protect our climate, and to protect our future“.
