Berluti’s New Designer Is a Menswear Heavyweight
On Friday, it was announced that Haider Ackermann would be leaving his post as Berluti's artistic director after just three seasons at the French brand. These days, designers enter and exit fashion houses at about the same speed as Cleveland Browns quarterbacks, and Ackermann's exit followed a now-rote process: He was thanked and praised in a statement by Berluti CEO Antoine Arnault ("His feel for materials, colours, and his wonderful shows will always be linked to the history of the House"), the designer declared his appreciation for the maison ("I am immensely proud to have been able to put my creativity at the service of this House with an exceptional know-how, whilst working with a passionate team"), and a statement that "Berluti will announce his successor shortly" was issued.
Shortly indeed. This morning, Berluti revealed that Kris Van Assche has been installed as the brand's new artistic director. When Van Assche left Dior Homme to clear the way for Kim Jones's appointment at that label, his own exit announcement (that, yes, included high praise from his bosses and appreciation for the Dior teams) included a note that he would "continue to express his talent and creativity within the LVMH Group." There were few options within the LVMH fold where that talent and deep know-how of the menswear game could be expressed—until Ackermann's seat became open. Smart money had this as the move on Friday, and smart money was vindicated today.
Van Assche was in many ways Dior Homme's living history, having helped launch the label while working under designer Hedi Slimane, before leaving to run his own line. When Slimane left in 2007, Van Assche came back to the brand in the top creative spot and remained for over a decade. His tenure was defined by an ability to maintain the house codes (skinny suits, techno-futurism, lots of black) that Slimane and Co. established. It's fair to call Van Assche's imprint on the brand more evolutionary (the introduction of streetwear-leaning silhouettes, sportier sneakers, technical fabrications) than revolutionary—which makes his appointment at Berluti one worth watching.
Because even when Van Assche had his self-titled label, which shuttered in 2015, it was always viewed in comparison to his work at Dior Homme (and never far enough from it to cut through to menswear's front lines). Now that he's totally severed the Dior connection, we're curious to see how Van Assche approaches a brand that's something completely different: occupying the highest end of the luxury spectrum, and not tied down to a widely known aesthetic. "I have always wanted to build bridges between the savoir-faire, the heritage of a house, and my clear-cut contemporary vision," Van Assche said in a statement about his new gig. "Antoine Arnault spoke to me of his ambitions for Berluti, and it is with great pleasure that I accept this new challenge which fits perfectly with my own will and vision." What exactly those ambitions are—more ready-to-wear? doubling down on the house's cash-cow accessories and shoes?—remains to be seen. But we'll find out soon enough: Van Assche's first collection for the 123-year-old brand will be unveiled next January in Paris.
