A Look from Jonathan Anderson’s Dior Couture Debut Recalls a Shimmering Nancy Lorenz Painting

Layering decadent materials, including gold and mother-of-pearl, over more humble ones such as gesso, cardboard, and jute, Nancy Lorenz creates shimmering works that break down the boundary between art and craft, as seen in large-scale installations like her special commission at the Church of the Artists in Rome and Garden (2009), a ten-panel painting made for a private residence in Mumbai.

For his first couture collection with Dior, creative director Jonathan Anderson demonstrated both his respect for the brand’s illustrious history and his ability to propel it forward with ensembles like this voluminous, structured top and asymmetrical skirt embroidered with yellow and white velvet flowers.

A version of this article first appeared in print in our 2026 Summer Issue in the section “Life Imitates Art.” Subscribe to the magazine.