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Annie Brown

If there is one look that encapsulates Jonathan Anderson’s vision for Dior it could well be Greta Lee on the cover of American Vogue wearing not one but two of Anderson’s deeply opulent military jackets.
In this, Anderson contextualises the Napoleonic hussar jacket – highly decorative with frogging, gold buttons and embroidery and once worn by members of the cavalry during the era of the French emperor – into a desirable way of wearing clothes now. You could see this too in his first look for his men’s show with roomy cargo shorts that were actually a play on Monsieur Dior’s frilled 1948 Delft dress and a tweedy frock coat.

Also, Pete Doherty of the Libertines probably wants his jacket back.
Anderson isn’t the only one experimenting with the military jacket. It appeared on recent runways at McQueen’s spring/summer 2026 collection, where Seán McGirr paired cream, cropped versions with decorative frogging, with sexy little bikinis and super low-rise trousers. There were several takes at Ann Demeulemeester too, with plays on proportions and the dark romance of the brand in cropped jackets paired with floral dresses and hot pants with knee-high boots. Giorgio Armani’s fitted hussar jackets were worn with voluminous trousers and, yes, at Dior, Anderson also layered them over ruffled blouses.

They are not, of course, the only designers to be fascinated by the rigour, the potency and the symbolism of the military jacket. Vivienne Westwood, the godmother of punk, famously and rigorously studied historical garments. She too re-cut military jackets for her collections. In doing so – as is shown in a new exhibition of her work alongside that of fellow iconoclastic designer, Rei Kawakubo, at the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne – she subverted ideas of politics and power.
Jean Paul Gaultier and John Galliano were similarly intrigued by the military jacket. Hedi Slimane turned them into the motif du jour of the indie sleaze moment when he was at Dior Homme in the early aughts – a time when everybody tried to look like Kate Moss by pairing them with thick black tights and biker boots. This is the very look threatening to come back. Trends are like that.

Mahalia Chang, style editor of British GQ, loves a military jacket. “I have a lot of envy for the minimalists in life, but I’m not one of them! I like my clothes to feel fun, and I dress to create characters, so I gravitate towards pieces with something to say,” she says. “Military jackets tick so many nice boxes: fussy and interesting, but fitted and sleek, with some history and heft to them.”
Chang feels we should never be surprised when a historical garment finds new-found relevance in the trend cycle. “It’s a fashion designer’s job to be inspired by the world around them and to interpret that inspiration into clothing. That’s what luxury companies hire creative directors to do. And designers have always looked to history for that,” she says.
“The Napoleon jacket is just an extension of that; something fashion has been doing – and with no complaints, I note – since forever. Fashion is so deeply cyclical and referential, so it’s never really a surprise to me to see something historical pop up. And actually, I think, in that context, it’s refreshing that the military jacket trend is so specific. It makes it more accessible and tangible.”
Anyway, as Chang points out, everything is a trend. And Anderson, as always, is leading it.

“Fashion is one of humanity’s oldest and purest forms of self expression. Life becomes a lot more fun when you lean into that and find joy in the things you wear, even if it’s fleeting. I personally find Napoleon jackets to be a riot. I’m a Jonathan Anderson superfan, sue me,” she says provocatively.
As for how to wear one, the options are endless. On TikTok, people are styling them with baggy jeans, as did Jodie Turner-Smith at the Victoria’s Secret after-party in New York late last year. Jenna Ortega arrived at the Dior show in a sleeveless version paired with tiny denim shorts, while Zendaya wore a metallic silver coat to the Louis Vuitton show during Paris Fashion Week. Male celebrities such as Caleb McLaughlin of Stranger Things fame and Taiwanese singer Jay Chou are also fans, as is singer Dua Lipa, who recently posted a selfie clad in a red style from Ann Demeulemeester.

And, as Jonathan Anderson has shown with his new Dior, it works as well for men as it does for women. Sophie Jordan, Mytheresa menswear buying director, says a well-cut military jacket adds a sense of purposeful polish.
“Smart military references are coming to the forefront. Think double-breasted coats with high, stand-up collars, sharply tailored shoulders, and pronounced back vents that add structure and movement. These details bring a sense of heritage and sophistication, transforming classic silhouettes into modern, wearable statements for the season,” she says.
Military jackets tick so many nice boxes: fussy and interesting, but fitted and sleek, with some history and heft to them
Mahalia Chang, British GQ
“A look inspired by the Napoleonic/French trend could feature a dark-toned Burberry trench coat layered over a must-have Zegna Conte jacket for added structure and refinement, paired with a sleek leather boot from Dries Van Noten that brings subtle attitude and sophistication. To give the trend a slightly edgier, less traditional twist, a sharply tailored Rick Owens blazer can make all the difference, introducing a modern, rock-inspired element that balances tradition with innovation.”
Not feeling too “costumey” (or perhaps as if cosplaying Kate Moss at Glastonbury) is clearly not something GQ’s Chang worries about – fashion should be fun! But if it is something of concern, she suggests mixing eras and genres.

“I’m not often accused of being non-costumey, but the good thing about the Napoleon jacket is that it can be the star. I find when you’re wearing something fussy, smoothing everything else out allows the main piece to do the talking. I’ve been pairing my red velvet jacket with black trousers and a loafer,” she says.
“If you’re worried about it looking like you do historical re-enactments as a hobby, add in something obviously from another decade – like a great pair of 1970s glasses or a noughties handbag – the contrast and mismatch of them act like a wink to let people know you’re in on the joke.”


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Thanks to Dior’s Anderson, the historical garment is making a comeback, with styles from Napoleonic hussar jackets to more modern takes


Thanks to Dior’s Anderson, the historical garment is making a comeback, with styles from Napoleonic hussar jackets to more modern takes.


Jonathan Anderson’s military jacket reigns at Dior, as Greta Lee and Zendaya salute the trend too

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Thanks to Dior’s Anderson, the historical garment is making a comeback, with styles from Napoleonic hussar jackets to more modern takes

Thanks to Dior’s Anderson, the historical garment is making a comeback, with styles from Napoleonic hussar jackets to more modern takes