Astro turf flooring. Maybe this isn’t the best way to start a write-up but it was there, and it was green. And felt nice to walk on. Astro turf could, in some cases, be utilised as a poor substitute for grass, but here I’m going to say that it’s usage was more about the material’s relation with sport. But put a pin in that for a moment – we want to start by saying that the brilliant Kris Van Assche is celebrating a massive ten years at Dior Homme. Which is really quite an impressive feat, considering the turnaround of designers at houses. Over the years he has perfected many things – but it is knife-edge sharp tailoring that’s continually defined his collections. And this was a collection, according to the release, about that suit, but also about sport. Hence the astro turf. This season, Kris wanted to finding something of an in between – tailoring, yes, that’s what the Dior Homme man wears and wants, but imbued with the physicality, and vitality of sport.
And really, his work isn’t a whole world away from sporting garb – they are linked with this obsessive precision when it comes to a garment, a precision that came through here as Kris’s classic Dior suit was played with over and over – at times sleeveless, worn with teen-tiny thigh-grazing shorts, other times the blazer was elongated into a jacket, trousers cut wide to give a sporty volume. The Dior Atelier ribbon was used to edge anorak-style outerwear, or along the leg of a trouser to suggest a track pant. There was this whole preppy, varsity thing too, with collegiate wreaths studded across the collection, sleeveless argyll-striped knits, or the little 80s-style running shorts that closed things out. Which all in all made for a very strong collection indeed. Well done Kris. Here’s to another ten years.
Photographs by Anna Stokland
