Dior Homme gives new life to age-old classics at Paris Fashion Week

By Mimosa Spencer

PARIS, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Dior Homme took to the runway with a polished lineup of reworked classics on Friday, kicking Paris Fashion Week's menswear shows into high gear with a celebrity-packed show.

Crowds of screaming fans lined the Place de la Concorde, erupting into cheers with the arrival of K-pop star Jimin, who was named earlier this week global brand ambassador for the house.

Guests of the LVMH-owned label - who also included Eddie Redmayne, "The White Lotus" actor Adam DiMarco, soccer star David Beckham and his son Cruz Beckham - were seated in a darkened tent facing a wall-length screen.

A sombre procession ensued and models walked out slowly, as actors Gwendoline Christie and Robert Pattinson recited T.S. Eliot's poem "The Waste Land", their faces projected onto the screen.

Dior men's artistic director Kim Jones transformed familiar pieces such as fishermen's rain caps, slickers and chunky sweaters into an elevated styles in muted colors - ivory, dusty blues and a pale, mustard yellow. There were also airy poncho windbreakers, loose trousers with an extra pleats and wide bermudas, worn like skirts.

Paris Fashion Week menswear shows run through Jan. 22. (Reporting by Mimosa Spencer Editing by Frances Kerry)