Since arriving at Dior, Jonathan Anderson has approached the house's rich history and distinct codes as material to be moulded rather than preserved; ripe for reinterpretation. His Autumn 2026 haute couture collection continued that approach, looking beyond fashion for inspiration and instead turning to the work of American sculptor Lynda Benglis.

Presented in the gardens of the Musée Rodin, the collection translated Benglis' fascination with movement, texture and form into clothing. It's familiar territory for Anderson, who previously collaborated with Benglis during his tenure at Loewe, but here her influence felt even more deeply embedded in the clothes themselves. Pleats rippled across gowns and tailoring, metallic fabrics appeared almost molten, and oversized bows looked as though they'd been sculpted by hand. With each look, fabric seemed to move beyond its traditional purpose, becoming something closer to sculpture than clothing.

Accessories continued the sculptural dialogue. Benglis' fascination with texture and materiality was palpable across pleated silver clutches, embroidered heels and exaggerated hats that extended the collection's exploration of shape beyond the clothing itself. But Anderson's research didn't stop there. Inspired by Benglis' connection to Ahmedabad in Gujarat, he also explored India's artisanal traditions of chintz and gemstone carving. One-of-a-kind handbags were crafted using authentic fragments of 18th-century chintz and indiennes, while jewellery handmade in Jaipur featured carved green onyx cabochons and four-leaf clovers – a tribute to the enduring craftsmanship that has long shaped the region.

Nature was another unifying thread. Long intertwined with Dior's visual language, the house's enduring fascination with flowers and gardens has been reinterpreted by every creative director in their own way. Anderson's latest version felt a little more organic than past collections, looking beyond flowers to the textures and forms found in the natural world. The runway itself was framed by towering palms, while fringed tweeds – in one instance adorning a moss-green version of Christian Dior's signature Bar Jacket – evoked wild grasses. Elsewhere, floral embroidery bloomed across eveningwear and textured jacquards recalled pressed ferns, making nature feel less like decoration and more like a structural element of the collection itself.