PARIS, June 23 (Reuters) - Dior men's artistic director Kim Jones took to a sparse, futuristic setting at the Ecole Militaire in central Paris, kicking off his summer show with an army of models that rose up from a metallic catwalk.

A whining blast of scratchy electronic sounds set the runway presentation in motion, and the catwalk lit up as floor panels rolled back. Models emerged slowly, filling the room in rows.

One by one, they moved off the squares and paraded around the room to a somber beat, in textured suits with an androgynous bent, embellished with pearls and sequins.

The colour palette was pared down, mostly greys, ivory and pastels, while accessories came in bright, neon pink or yellow — jaunty, knit caps with pompoms, small clutch handbags, and chunky loafers.

Front row celebrities included fashion model Winnie Harlow, actress Demi Moore, singer Cha Eun-woo and "Game of Thrones" actress Gwendoline Christie, while the LVMH-owned French fashion label's chief executive, Delphine Arnault, sat next to her father, Bernard Arnault, chairman and ceo of LVMH.

Pharrell Williams, who showed his debut collection at Louis Vuitton with a blockbuster show that ended with music performance by him and Jay-Z on Tuesday, attended with his son, Rocket, and wife, Helen Lasichanh.

"Wow! Wow!" said Williams, as the audience burst into applause at the end. (Reporting by Mimosa Spencer; Editing by Sandra Maler)