Latest news with #creativeDirector
Fast Company
17 hours ago
- Business
- Fast Company
Why leaders should embrace ‘multidimensional leadership'
In an age that prizes specialization, we're often encouraged to distill our identities into a singular narrative —your specialization, your personal brand, a streamlined profile that fits neatly into a predefined box. Yet while the world rewards narrow expertise, it simultaneously demands multidimensional thinking. Innovation and resilience don't emerge from narrowing down; they arise from exploring intersections and embracing contradictions. The leaders we need today are not one-dimensional experts but multidimensional individuals who can hold tension, connect disparate disciplines, and lead from a place of full-spectrum presence. However, many unconventional thinkers—especially those with deep technical or creative gifts—feel pressured to conform to traditional leadership molds. The entrepreneur-turned-creative director may feel their place is to produce big ideas, not weigh in with their operational expertise; the lead programmer with a fine arts background may think their domain is confined to coding, even if they could lend fresh ideas about product design. This tension often leads to disconnection, burnout, and a reservoir of untapped potential. So what does it mean to embrace your full dimensionality as a leadership strategy? The Case for Wholeness Institutions like MIT Sloan have championed the concept of the 'T-shaped' leader, a person with deep expertise in one domain and broad collaborative fluency across disciplines. These leaders are better equipped to navigate complexity, break down organizational silos, and foster innovation. But today's challenges require more than just cross-functional skills; they demand wholeness. Leaders must access intellect and intuition, logic and emotion, embodiment and systems thinking. This holistic approach isn't new. During the Italian Renaissance, figures like Leonardo da Vinci seamlessly integrated art and science, embodying the essence of multidimensional leadership. This isn't a theoretical shift; I've seen it in action. In a recent engagement with a life sciences executive team, we paused our strategic agenda to explore personal leadership stories. One leader, a deeply analytical CFO, opened up about a passion for playing jazz guitar that had shaped how he collaborates and leads others. That single story shifted the room. His vulnerability allowed others to bring themselves into the conversation, and the team's cohesion transformed. The business outcomes didn't come from better models, but from deeper connections. This kind of 'Renaissance energy' isn't a luxury; it's a catalyst. During the Renaissance, thinkers like da Vinci seamlessly integrated disciplines to show up as fully expressed humans. That spirit lives in us still. We don't need more narrow specialists. We need leaders willing to be curious, courageous, and creatively integrated. A Framework for Full-Dimensional Leadership Leading from your full dimensionality doesn't happen by accident. It requires thoughtful exploration and practice. A way of thinking I call the 3D framework—discover, distill, design—offers a regenerative pathway from internal awareness to external impact. It's not a linear ladder, but a looping process of personal and professional evolution. 1. Discover. Begin by understanding yourself more deeply. Reconnect with your experiences, surface buried brilliance, and reclaim sidelined aspects of your identity. Reflect on questions like: What moments have significantly shaped my journey? Where have I conformed at the expense of authenticity? What parts of me are yearning to lead? Where does your true brilliance live? Leaders who demonstrate high self-awareness are more effective in their roles, fostering stronger team dynamics and grounded decision-making. 2. Distill. After discovery comes discernment. Strip away distractions to focus on what's essential. Integrate your roles, values, and responsibilities by considering: What narratives about myself need rewriting? What is the essence of my leadership at this moment? What tensions should I hold rather than resolve? Effective leaders today are defined not by certainty, but by their ability to navigate complexity with clarity. 3. Design. From clarity comes creation. Lead with conscious intention, designing systems and cultures that reflect your unique brilliance. This is where multidimensional leadership becomes visible, where presence meets action. Ask yourself: What future is emerging through me? What systems, habits, and environments need to change? How can I embody leadership that energizes rather than exhausts? At Ideo, leaders are encouraged to prototype their leadership models based not on job titles, but on what energizes them. This intentional experimentation has led to measurable improvements in psychological safety, team cohesion, and innovation velocity. Design isn't just about what you build but how you build it. The End of One-Dimensional Leadership Challenges like climate instability, AI disruption, and cultural fragmentation can't be addressed with logic alone. They require leaders who can hold polarities, think and feel, zoom in and out, and integrate data with empathy. This multidimensional leadership isn't a luxury; it's a necessity. It enables leaders to move from reactivity to intentionality, from exhaustion to resonance. If you've ever felt the need to fragment yourself to be effective, consider this an invitation to return to wholeness. Discover who you are, distill what matters, and design what's next. The future will be led by those who are most fully alive and courageous enough to lead from that place.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
It's official: Northern Irish fashion designer Jonathan Anderson makes history as Dior's new creative director
Northern Ireland 's own Jonathan Anderson has picked up the baton at Dior as creative director of women's, men's and haute couture collections. Designers rarely shuffle around the industry, but this year there's been a revolving door of creative directors shaking up some of fashion's oldest names. And Anderson's next appointment has been one of the most rumoured and anticipated to date. In January we saw Louise Trotter take the helm at Bottega Veneta, replacing Matthieu Blazy (who has taken up residence at Chanel). March played a backdrop for peak house hopping: Simone Bellotti, previously Bally, announced his new start at Jil Sander replacing Luke and Lucie Meier; Donatella Versace stepped down after 27 years and was replaced by Dario Vitale; then at Gucci, Demna (previously Balenciaga) was announced as creative director. If you're confused, don't worry - it's akin to following a game of chess. Anderson has taken over from Maria Grazia Chiuri, who joined as Dior's first female artistic director of women's haute couture, ready-to-wear and accessories in 2016, and Kim Jones who served as Dior's artistic director of menswear for 7 years. The announcement of Anderson's new role comes just days after the showcase of Chiuri's last Dior Cruise collection held in Rome. Chiuri led the brand to unprecedented success over nine years, bolstering LVMH's profits. But this is the first time since Monsieur Dior, a creative director like Anderson will helm all of these sectors collectively, with an aim to bring order and cohesion to the brand's design vision. 'I have always been inspired by the rich history of this House, its depth, and empathy. I look forward to working alongside its legendary Ateliers to craft the next chapter of this incredible story,' says Anderson. And after a fabulous 11-year tenure at the head of Loewe, it's no surprise the French multinational luxury goods conglomerate LVMH (the owner of Dior) has snapped up Anderson to supply a fresh take on the brand. 'Jonathan Anderson is one of the greatest creative talents of his generation. His incomparable artistic signature will be a crucial asset in writing the next chapter of the history of the House of Dior,' emphasises Bernard Arnault, Chairman and CEO of LVMH. But what will happen to JW Anderson? It's said that he will remain at the helm of his eponymous brand. Anderson's debut women's ready-to-wear collection will take place this October during Paris Fashion Week, following his debut with the Dior menswear collection on the 27th of this month. The FROW's eyes remain peeled for this exciting new design phase.
Irish Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Dior appoints Irishman Jonathan Anderson as sole creative director
Jonathan Anderson has been announced as the first creative director for men's, women's and couture collections at Dior , bringing to an end speculation about the luxury brand's future. The 40-year-old rugby player's son, from County Derry in Northern Ireland , will be the first designer to hold complete creative control of the fashion house since Christian Dior. Delphine Arnault, the chair and chief executive of Dior, described Anderson as 'the most talented designer of his generation'. He has long been compared with Karl Lagerfeld by fashion insiders. Anderson said: 'It is a great honour to join the house of Dior as creative director of women's and men's collections. I have always been inspired by the rich history of this house, its depth, and empathy. READ MORE 'I look forward to working alongside its famous ateliers to craft the next chapter of this incredible story. I would like to express my sincere thanks to Delphine Arnault and Bernard Arnault [the chief executive of LVMH] for their trust and loyalty over the years.' The significance of this moment is reflected in an unprecedented move for the famous house, skipping the haute couture shows for the first time in its 78-year history in July. It had already been confirmed in April that Anderson was to become the artistic director of men's wear, and he will present his first collection this month. He is due to debut his primary womenswear collection later this year. In a statement on Instagram, Dior said: 'For the first time at Christian Dior couture, since Monsieur Dior, a creative director will work on all the women's, men's, and haute couture collections, further strengthening its global creative vision.' Anderson's arrival has been the subject of front row gossip for a year. Maria Grazia Chiuri, the outgoing creative director of Dior womenswear, was still officially in her role last week when she took a bow at the end of her show in Rome. His ascendance reflects the fashion world's shifting view of him. In a short time, he has gone from a critically acclaimed but left field talent to the centre of power in the global fashion industry. But it was Anderson's eye-catching success at the formerly sleepy Spanish handbag brand Loewe that prompted the billionaire LVMH boss, Bernard Arnault, to reward him with the top prize. The decision to entrust a young designer with complete control is a roll of the dice for Dior, which has tended to play safe since being engulfed in scandal by the departure of John Galliano in 2011. A French court found Galliano guilty of making anti-Semitic remarks later that year and he was handed €6,000 (£5,060) in suspended fines. In 2023, Anderson crafted the outfit which Rihanna used to announce her pregnancy during the Super Bowl half-time performance, as well as Ariana Grande's Met Gala gown in 2024. He also created the patchwork cardigan worn by Harry Styles that went viral and was inducted into the Victoria and Albert Museum fashion collection this year. Delphine Arnault said: 'I am convinced that he will bring a creative and modern vision to our house, inspired by the fabulous story of Monsieur Dior and the codes he created.' - Guardian
The Guardian
4 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Dior appoints Jonathan Anderson as sole creative director
Jonathan Anderson has been announced as the first ever creative director for men's, women's and couture collections at Dior, bringing to an end speculation about the luxury brand's future. The 40-year-old rugby player's son, from County Derry in Northern Ireland, will be the first designer to hold complete creative control of the fashion house since Christian Dior. Delphine Arnault, the chair and chief executive of Dior, described Anderson as 'the most talented designer of his generation'. He has long been compared with Karl Lagerfeld by fashion insiders. Anderson said: 'It is a great honour to join the house of Dior as creative director of both women's and men's collections. I have always been inspired by the rich history of this house, its depth, and empathy. 'I look forward to working alongside its legendary ateliers to craft the next chapter of this incredible story. I would like to express my sincere thanks to Delphine Arnault and Bernard Arnault [the chief executive of LVMH] for their trust and loyalty over the years.' The significance of this moment is reflected in an unprecedented move for the famous house, skipping the haute couture shows for the first time in its 78-year history in July. It had already been confirmed in April that Anderson was to become the artistic director of menswear, and he will present his first collection this month. He is due to debut his primary womenswear collection later this year. In a statement on Instagram, Dior said: 'For the first time at Christian Dior couture, since Monsieur Dior, a creative director will work on all the women's, men's, and haute couture collections, further strengthening its global creative vision.' Anderson's arrival has been the subject of front row gossip for a year. Maria Grazia Chiuri, the outgoing creative director of Dior womenswear, was still officially in her role last week when she took a bow at the end of her show in Rome. His ascendance reflects the fashion world's shifting view of him. In short time, he has gone from a critically acclaimed but leftfield talent to the centre of power in the global fashion industry. But it was Anderson's eye-catching success at the formerly sleepy Spanish handbag brand Loewe that prompted the billionaire LVMH boss, Bernard Arnault, to reward him with the top prize. The decision to entrust a young designer with complete control is a roll of the dice for Dior, which has tended to play safe since being engulfed in scandal by the departure of John Galliano in 2011. Sign up to Fashion Statement Style, with substance: what's really trending this week, a roundup of the best fashion journalism and your wardrobe dilemmas solved after newsletter promotion A French court found Galliano guilty of making antisemitic remarks later that year and he was handed €6,000 (£5,060) in suspended fines. In 2023, Anderson crafted the outfit which Rihanna used to announce her pregnancy during the Super Bowl half-time performance, as well as Ariana Grande's Met Gala gown in 2024. He also created the patchwork cardigan worn by Harry Styles that went viral and was inducted into the Victoria and Albert Museum fashion collection this year. Delphine Arnault said: 'I am convinced that he will bring a creative and modern vision to our house, inspired by the fabulous story of Monsieur Dior and the codes he created.'
Grazia USA
4 days ago
- Business
- Grazia USA
Jonathan Anderson's Appointment At Dior Is A History-Making Move For The Fashion House
Photo: Getty Following his departure from Loewe after 11 years at the helm, it was announced in April Jonathan Anderson would be stepping into the role of creative director for Dior Men. But now a further announcement from the house of Dior and LVMH has further cemented Anderson's move to Dior as a history-making one. 'Jonathan Anderson is going to be the head of creation for Dior, across men's and women's, couture and accessories,' confirmed Delphine Arnault, chair and CEO of Christian Dior Couture, in an interview with Vogue Business , a move which she labelled 'very exciting'. It's a significant appointment for the heritage fashion house as it marks the first time there has been one creative figurehead across women's, men's and couture since Christian Dior himself. 'I think this is going to be great for the Maison. There will be consistency and coherence in the products, but also in terms of communication, I think our message will be much clearer,' Arnault noted of Anderson's appointment. Anderson, 40, himself shared his excitement to join Dior as its sole creative director. 'It is a great honour to join the House of Dior as Creative Director of both women's and men's collections,' he said in a statement on Instagram. 'I have always been inspired by the rich history of this House, its depth, and empathy. 'I look forward to working alongside its legendary Ateliers to craft the next chapter of this incredible story. I would like to express my sincere thanks to Bernard Arnault and Delphine Arnault for their trust and loyalty over the years.' Photo: Getty The announcement of Anderson's new role at Dior comes after Maria Grazia Chiuri announced she would be stepping down from her role as the creative director for Dior Women on Thursday. Chiuri was the first woman to ever lead Dior's women's collections, a role she held for nearly a decade. 'Christian Dior Couture announces that Maria Grazia Chiuri has decided to leave her position as Creative Director of women's haute couture, ready-to-wear and accessories collections,' read a statement from the Maison. 'The House of Dior wishes to express today its deepest gratitude to Maria Grazia Chiuri after a wonderful collaboration as Creative Director of women's collections since 2016.' Chiuri first joined the fashion house in 2016 which she brought her feminist vision to her collections, which began with her Spring/Summer 2017 debut, where models wore slogan tees emblazoned with Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's now-famous line: 'We should all be feminists.' Anderson will make his debut as the sole creative director of Dior at Men's Paris Fashion Week on June 27, 2025. topics: DIOR, Jonathan Anderson, LVMH, FASHION, Fashion news, featured
