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The second Kris van Assche outing of the week hit the Paris catwalk on Sunday afternoon in the shape of Dior Homme. It was a beautifully elegant and simplistic version of tailoring that was shown in a market space in the Republique area. A white Dior labelled carport door was slowly raised to unveil Cold Love, van Assche’s spring summer vision for the French super label.
Out marched a mainly tailored army of tall and slender models. Most suits came in black, but there were elements of green and brown throughout. Beige was stylishly put underneath the suit jackets, creating a subtle look. See-through fabrics were not only used in tops, but also in jackets and coats. The main theme was Kris' deconstructed collars and lapels. There was a flowing feeling in many garments, which was often accomplished with over sized lapels. Kris van Assche took full use of the craftsmanship at Dior to flex his lining muscles. Sometimes the lining featured as a separate layer under the jacket, sometimes on top of it. Dazed spoke to the designer quickly in between his chats with Karl Lagerfeld and r’n’b artist Usher…
Dazed Digital: What was the general theme behind the collection?
Kris van Assche: It was about using the Dior atelier to it full extent, and to show how good it is. That’s why we had the inside of the tailoring on the outside.
DD: Is it tricky to balance your own label with Dior Homme?
Kris van Assche: No, because they are very different and working with Dior allows me to do things I can’t do with my other label.
DD: It was quite a minimal collection!
Kris van Assche: I think it’s a very typical Dior Homme collection, playing on the strengths of the label.
DD: What piece from the collection would you buy as a customer?
Kris van Assche: The jacket I’m wearing now – a sleeveless black suit jacket with a felt collar and two push buttons.
Kris van Assche was a bit unlucky at his SS10 show, because from time to time his presentation was almost out done and overwhelmed by gangs of rogue protesters, who made a racket next to the catwalk. No one knew what they were upset about, but it’s not likely to have been Kris and his clothes. The Belgian designer showed a monochrome collection, per usual, and kept up his theme of playing around with tailored shapes. There were less sportswear influences then before, which is one of the looks Kris has pioneered in the past. Instead we were treated to extra long shirts, jackets and t-shirts. Layering was big as van Assche expanded on his loose silhouette from last season.
Kris has a bit of a reputation for tackling the design challenge that is the trouser. We all wear them, but not so much can be done about pushing its creative boundaries. In the past, Kris has experimented with harem-style trousers and, as we saw last time around, cargo pants with oversized pockets. Now he showed loose fitting shorts, layered with either leggings or trousers. The most unlikely pairing though, most have been the boot crossed with a sandal. As unusual as that sounds – and looked – it worked, like with most things Kris van Assche does. Afterwards, Dazed Digital stole a few minutes of his precious time…
Dazed Digital: How would you describe the collection in just a few words?
Kris van Assche: An African in New York !
DD: How did that come about?
Kris van Assche: My inspirations come from the city streets, but also from my travels. For me, a cool look today is a mix of different looks, it has it origins in several countries and cultures. And an African in New York says it all, I think!
DD: So what were the African bits from the show?
Kris van Assche: The long shirts, the wrap-around scarf, the sandals, the sand coloured clothes, and also the music. The blue colour I used is called Tuareg blue, which is an African tribe.
DD: And representing New York City?
Kris van Assche: The end result was supposed to look urban, it’s just that it had its origins from around the world.
DD: What is it with you and trousers - you seem to be pushing for a trouser revolution?
Kris van Assche: They break up suits, I’m always trying to loosen up the stiffness in suits. And they are quite important, you never see anyone without them!
DD: What was your favourite piece from this collection?
Kris van Assche: I guess my choice for the summer would be the shorts.
Backstage photography by Giovanni di Nunzio
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