Parley for the Oceans, Dior for the Beach
What does Dior stand for, if not the planet? The house's founder was famously fascinated by flowers but also harbored an oceanic obsession, having been born in the coastal town of Granville, Normandy.
From this historic root, Dior artistic director Kim Jones engendered a flourishing eco-conscious project with restorative nonprofit Parley for the Oceans, famed for partnering with brands like adidas to make new textiles out of plastic removed from Earth's oceans.
Jones appropriately brought Parley on to envision a beachwear capsule that's easy on the environment, beginning work back in 2019.
The resulting capsule is unmistakably Dior, in that it's as resplendent as it is approachable, and it's unmistakably Parley in that the products are formed from recycled polyester.
And, yes, polyester can be as luxe as any organic fiber. Man-made fabrics, even responsibly-sourced ones, have come a long way.
Parley sources waste plastic and fishing nets left adrift from bodies of water across the globe (particularly the Maldives, Dominican Republic, and Sri Lanka, according to a release) and then transmogrifies it into a raw state that's then refashioned into a workable base.
Dior's artisans in Italy received this material and set to work fashioning it into the technical taffeta, jacquard weave, and ultra-breathable mesh.
Where necessary, Dior's team applied additional fabric: 2% polyamide is worked into the mesh for sturdiness; chiné silk and cotton lend softness to shirt facings.
Parley's production was utilized for a great deal of Dior's Spring/Summer 2022 beachwear capsule but it also extends beyond the recycled polyester, like with the "bio-sourced nylon" sunglasses, terry cotton T-shirts, and brass jewelry.
All of the items are united, however, by cool blue shades that partially obscure tonal Dior Oblique monograms, a direct link to the ocean that Christian Dior looked out upon as a boy.
Similarly, most of the items are aligned in terms of their utilitarian appeal, wherein jackets are capable of being packed into an attached pouch, terry layers wick salty ocean moisture, and H-Town sandals utilize climbing-inspired cords for an adjustable fit.
The entire SS22 beachwear capsule, including the Parley for the Ocean items, is available on Dior's website and at select stores.
