Dior makes a lot of shoes

Dior makes a lot of shoes. Most are beautiful. Some are engineered for a single season, a campaign, a moment on Instagram. A few are built to last longer than the hype cycle, and those are worth your money.

The difference isn't always obvious from the product page. A Derby and a sneaker might share the same atelier, the same leather supplier, the same level of finish at the point of sale. What separates them is how they behave after six months of actual wear. Does the sole delaminate after a wet commute? Does the upper crease or collapse? Do the laces fray, the eyelets tarnish, the insole compress into a memory foam pancake?

This isn't about heritage in the abstract. It's about specific models that survive contact with pavements, staircases, and the back seat of a taxi. I've worn three over the past eighteen months, rotating them through London, Paris, and a handful of trade shows. None are indestructible. All are repairable. Two have aged well. One has aged beautifully.

What follows isn't a love letter. It's a field report.

B27 Low-Top Sneaker

The B27 launched in 2020 and immediately split opinion. It looked, depending on your threshold for irony, like a German Army Trainer or a very expensive homage to one. Dior called it a reinterpretation of the house's basketball codes. The sole unit, midsole height, and slightly bulbous toe box all nod to 1980s sportswear. The upper is calfskin, not canvas. The laces are waxed cotton. The tongue is padded and gusseted, which keeps grit out and gives the shoe a cleaner line when laced.

I bought a white pair in spring 2023. They cost £750. I've worn them roughly twice a week since, mostly with denim and fatigues, occasionally with a wool trouser when the occasion allowed for it. The calfskin has held up better than I expected. There's creasing at the flex point, obviously, but no cracking, no separation at the seams. The toe box has taken a few scuffs. They buff out with a damp cloth and a bit of patience.

The sole is the surprise. It's a cupsole construction, vulcanised rubber with a canvas midsole insert, and it's wearing evenly. No heel drag, no premature tread loss. I've resoled Common Projects twice in the time I've had these. The B27 still has another year in it, maybe more.

The weak point is the insole. It compressed after about four months, and now there's a slight hollow under the ball of the foot. Not uncomfortable, just noticeable. A leather insole replacement from a cobbler would solve it, but I haven't bothered yet.

The 'DIOR' signature on the side is applied in raised rubber. It's held fast so far, though I expect it to start lifting eventually. When it does, I'll remove it entirely. The shoe works better without the branding anyway.

Dior Explorer Derby

This is the one that aged beautifully.

The Explorer Derby is Dior's attempt at a country shoe for people who don't go to the country. It's a four-eyelet Derby in pebble-grain calfskin, built on a chunky commando sole with a storm welt. The last is broader than a dress shoe, narrower than a work boot. The eyelets are brass, not nickel. The lining is full leather, not synthetic, and the tongue is padded but not gusseted.

I've had mine since autumn 2022. Black pebble grain, worn hard through two winters. They've been caught in the rain more times than I can count, salted, scuffed, and occasionally neglected. The leather has taken on a depth you don't get from calf that hasn't been stressed. The pebble grain hides the worst of the scuffs, but the toe cap and quarters now have a burnished, slightly matte finish that reads as patina rather than damage.

The sole is Vibram, or something very close to it, and it's wearing like iron. There's tread loss at the heel, but it's even and predictable. I'll need a resole in another year, which any competent cobbler can handle. The storm welt means water hasn't touched the insole or the shank. The brass eyelets have tarnished slightly, which I prefer to the original shine.

The fit is generous. I'm a UK 9 in most shoes, a 42 in Dior's sneakers, and a 42 in the Derby. If you're between sizes, go down. The leather will give, and the volume is already there.

This is the pair I'd buy again. It's also the pair I'd recommend to anyone who wants a Dior shoe that doesn't look like a Dior shoe after six months. It just looks like a good Derby that's been worn properly.

Dior Oblique Galaxy Leather Sneaker

The Galaxy is Dior's high-top sneaker, part of the same family as the B27 but with a more technical build. It's a lace-up high-top in smooth calfskin with the oblique monogram jacquard panel on the side and a chunky, sculpted sole. The upper is lined in leather. The collar is padded. The sole unit is injection-moulded rubber with a visible air pocket in the heel.

I bought a pair in navy and grey oblique in early 2023, mostly because I wanted a high-top that wasn't a basketball shoe. They cost £890. I've worn them less than the B27, maybe once a week, mostly in dry conditions. They're holding up, but they're not improving with age.

The smooth calfskin shows everything. Every scuff, every crease, every brush against a table leg. The oblique panel has fared better, probably because the jacquard is more forgiving than leather. The sole is still intact, but the sculpted ridges are collecting dirt in a way that's hard to clean without a toothbrush and some aggression.

The fit is snug, almost restrictive, until the leather breaks in. That took about a month. The ankle collar is well-padded, but it's also stiff, and it rubs if you're wearing low socks. I switched to mid-calf and the problem disappeared.

The air pocket in the heel is a gimmick. It compresses slightly when you walk, but it doesn't provide meaningful cushioning. It does, however, make a faint squelching sound on certain surfaces, which is less charming than Dior probably intended.

This is a good sneaker if you want something that looks technical and expensive. It's not a great sneaker if you want something that will age gracefully. The smooth leather needs more care than I'm willing to give it, and the sole design is better suited to a lookbook than a pavement.

A Note on Care

Dior shoes don't come with care instructions, which is a shame. The calfskin models respond well to a neutral cream polish and a horsehair brush. The pebble grain takes a wax polish if you want more water resistance, though I wouldn't bother unless you're wearing them in foul weather regularly. The sneakers clean up with a damp cloth and a bit of saddle soap for the leather panels.

Store them with shoe trees. Cedar if you have it, plastic if you don't. The insoles will last longer, the uppers will hold their shape, and you'll get another year out of the pair before they need professional attention.

If something breaks—a sole delaminates, an eyelet pulls through, a seam opens—take them to a cobbler who works with high-end footwear. Dior's own repair service exists, but it's slow and expensive. A good cobbler will charge less and turn them around faster.

The shoes that last aren't always the ones you expect. But the ones that do are worth the investment.