No Dior, No Dietrich: the meaning behind Jonathan Anderson's latest T-shirt
The message may seem simple but Jonathan Anderson is referencing a Hollywood legend
NO DIOR, NO DIETRICH . . . it may seem like another catchy slogan but the T-shirt worn by director Luca Guadagnino at the Venice Film Festival, designed by Dior creative director Jonathan Anderson, is referencing one of Hollywood’s greatest artist and muse relationships of all time.
Every great fashion designer has famously had a coterie of muses and Jonathan Anderson, arguably one of the most exciting designers working today, seems cut from the same cloth. Yves Saint Laurent had his ladies in black: Catherine Deneuve, Betty Catroux. Hubert Givenchy had Audrey Hepburn. Olivier Rousteing has famously acquired an army of models and stars, literally dubbed the Balmain Army. Christian Dior himself had Mitzah Bricard.
But rarely have we seen the follow a designer en masse when they depart one major brand for another…
Context: During his time at Loewe, the Northern Irish designer cultivated a network of collaborators who became the embodiment of Loewe’s visual language. Artists and actors for the most part, including director and regular collaborator Luca Guadagnino, fellow Irishman Jamie Dornan, Kit Connor, Josh O’Connor, the late and incredible Maggie Smith, Greta Lee and Australian actress Sophie Wilde to name just a few.
When it was confirmed that Anderson would be departing Loewe and heading to Dior, the question was whether he could, and would, do the same kind of world-building for the storied French Maison that he did at Loewe.
The answer, it would seem, is a resounding yes. Not only has he already built it, but the players have turned out to be very familiar faces. At Anderson’s debut menswear collection earlier this year, all the talent that had previously been front row at Loewe were now very at home at Dior. Dornan and O’Connor, of course, also joined by Queer co-stars Daniel Craig and Drew Starkey and several other new faces.
Fast forward to this week’s red carpet for Guadagnino’s After The Hunt at the Venice Film Festival and Team Anderson/Loewe has locked in, seamlessly moving into Team Anderson/Dior without missing a step.
But the biggest buzz was caused by Guadagnino, who arrived a media call wearing what will no doubt be the Dior edition of the “I Told Ya” T-shirt. A grey tee that had written on the front, “No Dior, no Dietrich”.
To use a phrase beloved by a colleague: you have to know the lore.
In 1950, when Dietrich was filming the 1950 film Stage Fright with Alfred Hitchcock, the German actress declared that unless the French designer created her wardrobe for the film, she wouldn’t do it. “No Dior, no Dietrich” was the alleged declaration.
It’s a fitting full-circle moment, given Anderson’s work as costume designer for Guadagnino’s recent film Queer.
Joining these old faithfuls are some new additions, a peek into what Anderson has planned for the future of Dior. Actor Andrew Garfield was seen wearing pieces from the new spring/summer 2026 collection by Anderson, pairing a preppy blue knit with beige trousers and the new Roadie sneakers. Later that day on the red carpet for the official premiere, it was a custom powder blue tux and loosely thrown tie. (Side note: both times, it was paired with a Bvlgari timepiece.)
Elsewhere, Frankenstein star Mia Goth wore custom Dior to her red carpet premiere, as did Garfield’s current partner, A Complete Unknown actress Monica Barbaro.
Normally, this kind of exodus from one brand to another would cause a moment of concern. But the flipside is, it does give the new heads of Loewe, Proenza Schouler founders Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, a clean slate to work with and the chance to build their own universe within the brand.
And Anderson, like Christian, Hubert, Yves and so many before him, can continue with his fine-tuned network of muses. No Dior, no Dietrich. Will we soon see no Anderson, no Guadagnino?
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