Jonathan Anderson included a subtle nod to Derry Girls in his latest Dior Cruise collection, blending references to Irish culture with the glamour of classic Hollywood during the show in Los Angeles.
The Magherafelt-born designer, who became creative director of Dior last year, unveiled the collection this week as part of the fashion house’s Cruise line — an inter-season collection produced separately from the traditional spring/summer and autumn/winter schedules.
Centred around the relationship between film and fashion, the show drew inspiration from old Hollywood style while also reflecting Anderson’s own background. One of the most talked-about pieces was a grey shirt printed with the phrase “Says I, to myself, says I” — a familiar saying across Ireland, often used before telling a long story.
The phrase became widely recognised outside Ireland thanks to Uncle Colm, the famously long-winded character in Derry Girls created by Lisa McGee. In the series, Uncle Colm repeatedly uses the line before launching into rambling and unintentionally hilarious monologues.
The shirt was created in collaboration with American artist Ed Ruscha, who recently featured the phrase in a series of works for a 2025 exhibition at the Gagosian Gallery in London. Ruscha has long explored the relationship between language and visual art, once describing his work as painting words “like someone else paints flowers”.
Anderson has frequently incorporated Irish influences into his work since joining Dior. His first purchasable collection for the fashion house, titled Heritage Revisited, featured shamrock motifs across a range of items including sweaters, T-shirts, sunglasses and the iconic Lady Dior bags.
@fitz.erin Derry Girls fans 🤝 Dior fans. @Dior‘s Northern Irish creative director, Jonathan Anderson, who was born in Magherafelt, County Derry, just referenced Uncle Colm on the runway tonight during the Cruise 2027 show held at @LACMA in Los Angeles. Thoughts?! Lmk in the comments! #derrygirls #derrygirlsedit #diorcruise #greenscreenvideo #jonathananderson ♬ original sound - Erin Fitzpatrick
Traditional Irish fabrics have also played a major role in Anderson’s Dior collections. In his menswear line, he used Donegal tweed in signature pieces such as Dior’s famous Bar jacket. Anderson has previously described the fabric as being deeply connected to the Irish landscape.
“Known for its rugged texture and colourful flecks, Donegal tweed reflects the wild beauty of Ireland,” he said on his website.
Irish literary history has also appeared in Anderson’s work. One of his previous accessory collections featured bags inspired by Dracula, honouring Dublin-born author Bram Stoker. The bags mirrored the cover of the original 1897 edition, featuring bright yellow colouring and dark red lettering.
Elsewhere, the Cruise collection featured floor-length slip dresses decorated with floral detailing, peplum-inspired tailoring and updated versions of several iconic Dior designs from the early 2000s. Dior’s famous newspaper print returned on oversized clutches, while the Dior Cadillac bag was also reimagined.
A number of high-profile celebrities attended the Los Angeles show, including Miley Cyrus, Sabrina Carpenter, Al Pacino, Jisoo of Blackpink, Anya Taylor-Joy and Jeff Goldblum.
Carpenter opened the show in a flowing pastel yellow gown, continuing her growing working relationship with Anderson after wearing his designs during her Coachella performance earlier this year.
