Dior Homme creative director Kris van Assche discusses his collections
From left, ASAP Rocky, Dior Homme creative director Kris van Assche and singer-songwriter John Legend.
Just in for a “very, very short” time from Paris, Dior Homme creative directorKris van Assche recently sat in the courtyard at the Chateau Marmont for a chat before heading upstairs to host a cocktail party for the likes of John Legend, ASAP Rocky, Miles Teller, Orlando Bloom and male model of the moment Lucky Blue Smith. He’d shucked his navy suit jacket in a nod to the heat, and his plain white T-shirt exposed a black tattoo of tulip stems winding around his forearm, a souvenir of a visit to local Lowrider Tattoos a couple of years back. We talked about L.A., his latest collections and why menswear is hot right now.
Do you make it to L.A. very often?
I come here a few times a year, usually after each [Dior Homme] show. It’s the best place to come to get away from Paris, and I evaluate the reviews, my own feelings about the show and just let it all sink in. I like the fresh air, and I don’t think the sky is as blue anywhere else as it is in L.A. And [this time] I had a personal visit at LACMA, so I’ve been treated very kindly.
By the looks of it, isn’t your fall collection all about formality?
It’s actually more about exploring contrasts. The tradition of Dior is tailoring, and ever since I’ve been there I’ve been bringing in a lot of sportswear elements. When I started on that collection, it was all about clichés like bow ties and tail coats. But in my head it was about the young guy who would know all these codes but he would go to the opera, say, he would take his girl, so he would need to look cool. He might take her on his bike or go on his skateboard.
Do certain things resonate more with your clientele here in L.A.?
Well, the obvious thing to say is that there are a lot of red carpet looks in that show, which is the easy answer to that question, and we’ve been doing quite well with those. But it’s really about loosening up the tailoring, making it more comfortable, which I feel relates very much to L.A. And It’s about making leisure wear with more chic.
Is that why your collection for next spring was more casual?
It was the same type of guy, though, who would know about the French bourgeois idea of weekend wear, the blazer jacket, the white pants, a lot of navy blue, the checks and all that — that very traditional idea of French elegance but again done in a 2015 way, a cool way. It even has some punk references in it.
Why is menswear getting so much attention these days?
A lot of clients have very different types of jobs, and they’re not necessarily wearing suits while being very successful. That totally changed the view of luxury fashion. Everything is a question, everything is possible. Men want to look powerful, they want to look sexy. When I graduated in 1998, I did women’s wear, and I hadn’t even given it a thought, and I got thrown into menswear. I think it’s just as demanding and just as creative. People always say that menswear is so full of [design] codes, but that’s what makes it interesting, seeing how far you can push them and get away with it.
I know you follow the L.A. art scene. Are you a collector?
I know the artist Aaron Curry is coming tonight. I’m excited about meeting him. I really consider it a permanent learning process, and the more you learn, the more you know that you know nothing yet. I kind of hate that word “collector” because it has such a financial investment connotation. I think it would be a nightmare as a financial investment. I just surround myself with things I like. And I’ve been buying way too many ‘50s ceramics these past years.
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