Fashion history is set to be made in December 2026 when Dior stages its first-ever runway show in Ireland, at Trinity College Dublin. The brand will unveil its Pre-Fall collection of more than 60 silhouettes for Autumn/Winter 2027 in the spectacular surroundings of the institution’s Old Library.

The landmark event, which takes place on Friday, December 4, was announced by Dior Creative Director Jonathan Anderson, the Co Derry-born designer whose appointment to lead the storied French fashion house marked a defining moment in modern luxury fashion. The presentation will also be the first time Anderson has shown one of his collections in Ireland.

“Showing at Trinity College Dublin is a dream come true,” said Dior’s Jonathan Anderson. “I began my career in Dublin so returning here feels deeply personal.”

He added, “To present this collection in such an extraordinary setting at an institution with such an important cultural history is a real honour.”

The collection will be unveiled in the university’s iconic 18th-century Old Library, home to one of the world’s great literary collections and currently undergoing a “once in a century” redevelopment project to safeguard its treasures for generations to come. Anderson’s team recently visited the venue as preparations for the prestigious event gathered pace.

“We have never done anything like this before,” said Anne-Marie Diffley, Visitor Services Manager of the Old Library. “It is really exciting.”

Anderson revealed the news on Instagram, saying he was “so excited and so proud” to announce the show. His illustration accompanying the announcement featured a four-leaf clover and a ladybird, two motifs that have become signatures of his work since taking the helm at Dior.

 

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The designer also highlighted the enduring connection between Dior and Ireland through Carmel Snow, the Dalkey-born Editor-in-Chief of the American edition of Harper’s Bazaar. Her famous reaction to Christian Dior’s revolutionary 1947 debut collection coined one of fashion’s most enduring phrases: “It’s quite a revolution, dear Christian. Your dresses have such a new look.”

Although this is Dior’s first runway show in Ireland, the house has longstanding links with Dublin. In 1950, Christian Dior visited the city for the opening of Brown Thomas’s Dior boutique, bringing his own models from Paris. Brown Thomas also played an important role in Anderson’s own story, as it was there he worked in Prada menswear after training as an actor in New York. He has often spoken about Dublin being the place where he first came out as gay and where he “fell in love with fashion”.

Now 42, Anderson has built one of the most remarkable careers in contemporary fashion. After transforming Spanish luxury house Loewe into a global success while establishing the Loewe Craft Prize, he became Creative Director of Dior, overseeing womenswear, menswear and haute couture.

He continues to design for Uniqlo and his own label, while remaining one of the industry’s most influential creative figures. As Anna Wintour once observed: “He plays by his own rules fearlessly.”