CAIRO, Egypt – Discuss an appetizer.

Dior demonstrated its clout by hosting a preview event for its pre-fall menswear show, because of be staged in front of the pyramids of Giza near Cairo, on the brand-new Grand Egyptian Museum.

The French fashion brand unveiled Dior Tears, a capsule collection guest designed by Denim Tears creative director Tremaine Emory, in a presentation on Friday night staged within the grand entrance hall of the imposing constructing, dominated by a towering statue of Ramesses II.

Though Emory couldn’t attend, the event drew high-profile guests including South Korean singer and actor Sehun, Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton, British model Lila Moss, and designers equivalent to ERL’s Eli Russell Linnetz, Stefano Pilati, and Serhat Isik and Benjamin Huseby, the duo behind Berlin-based label GmbH.

Kim Jones, artistic director of men’s collections at Dior, has known Emory since 2005 and each have risen to turn into major figures on the intersection of luxury men’s fashion and streetwear.

During his tenure at Louis Vuitton, Jones orchestrated what was seen as a watershed moment for the industry by collaborating with Supreme, and Emory was recently named creative director of the cult Latest York skatewear brand. 

Jones had been searching for a possibility to work with the Atlanta-born designer, who is understood for telling stories in regards to the African diaspora, and promoting racial justice and cultural activism through his designs.

“I said, well, it’d be nice on the continent of Africa to have you ever involved in some way, and it’s the primary time we talked about working together that it gave the impression of all the pieces clicked into place,” the Dior designer said in a preview.

“He was taking a look at the Cairo scene back within the ’50s and ’60s, and the importance of jazz, after which that cross-reference with America, and got here with an excellent research that then we developed for him together with his team. For me, it’s a extremely beautiful have a look at a moment in time, which is type of the golden age of travel,” Jones added.

The gathering was inspired by Black artists and creatives like author James Baldwin and jazz trumpeter Miles Davis, who were celebrated in Europe within the Fifties whilst segregation raged back home within the U.S.

“It wasn’t perfect however it was only a moment, a good looking moment for Blacks to have the privilege and opportunity to flee from the fear, the horrors of America, a segregated Jim Crow America,” Emory said in an announcement.

To a moody live performance by British jazz musician Cktrl, models ambled out wearing high-low combos that summed up the meeting of French craftmanship and American staples: think tailored wool overcoats paired with slouchy cashmere jogging pants, and suits rendered in lightweight technical fabrics borrowed from workwear.

Denim pieces melded Dior’s signature Oblique pattern with Denim Tears’ trademark cotton wreath motif, while colourful varsity jackets, shawl-collared cardigans and sweater vests nodded to the look of Black Ivy League students of the Fifties and Sixties. Stripes were a recurring motif, appearing on earth-toned polo shirts, bohemian sweaters and shawls with brilliant hand-painted streaks.

At the tip of the presentation, fashion editors mobbed the models standing on podiums for a better have a look at the garments. That Emory could trigger such excitement even in his absence is a signal that this line may have hypebeasts on red alert.

Jones said he desired to stage a derivative event for the capsule collection to make an even bigger statement. “There have been two very different messages and I feel if we’re bringing people all the way in which here, we must always give them greater than they expect,” he explained.

“Aladdin” star Mena Massoud, who was born in Cairo and emigrated to Canada on the age of three, was proud to be back in his home city for the occasion. 

“It’s such a good looking place. We’re obviously here on the Grand Museum, which is the most important (archeological) museum on the earth now. It’s taken years and years for them to construct it out,” he said of the venue, which has yet to open officially to the general public. 

“I feel Cairo goes very under the radar for things like this, and we’re at such an enormous cultural art hub that more fashion houses should come here and do their shows,” added the actor, whose recent movie, “Hotel for the Holidays,” was released on Friday.

In it, he plays a chef called Luke opposite “Riverdale” star Madelaine Petsch. It seems Massoud is not any slouch within the kitchen in real life. “I published a cookbook back in 2020 and I even have a travel food show coming out next 12 months called ‘Evolving Vegan,’ so I wish to think I’m pretty good,” he said. 

Thomas Doherty, who was on his approach to Egypt as season two of the “Gossip Girl” reboot hit screens on Thursday, was busy soaking within the scene on the museum.

“It’s insane. It’s such a privilege. I mean, I feel very, very lucky and it’s absolutely magnificent,” said the Scottish actor, who plays Max Wolfe on the show. “That is my first time in Egypt and it’s a culture shock, however it’s really beautiful. The individuals are really special, the food is amazing. I’m also very jet lagged, so I feel like I’m in a little bit of a dream without delay.”

But don’t expect him to star in a remake of “The Mummy.” It seems Doherty has one other franchise in his sights. “Listen, you understand what, they’re casting the brand new James Bond soon, so…,” he said, letting the sentence hang within the air.