Daily Times

The LVMH owned label – one of a handful where it is making a big push in menswear, including Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior – also shook up its line-up of models

Hot pink suits and leather galore marked Kris Van Assche’s debut as Berluti’s designer at Paris men’s fashion week on Friday, as the brand known for its luxurious shoes paraded models through the glitzy corridors of the Opera Garnier.

The LVMH owned label – one of a handful where it is making a big push in menswear, including Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior – also shook up its line-up of models.

Several older men sporting full white beards showcased some of its sharps suits, an unusual twist in an industry often under fire for only favoring very young, thin models.

Biker-style trousers completed some of the looks while other suits and even hoodies were made entirely from brown leather. Van Assche, who used to be the menswear creative chief for stablemate Dior, also wove bold reds and pinks throughout the collection.

Meanwhile, intricately structured suits came with wraparound satin sashes, and animal prints adorned jackets and clutch bags at Christian Dior’s menswear collection Dior’s men’s designer Kim Jones previously made his mark with a streetwear style that boosted sales.

In his second outing for Dior, however, sleek looks dominated a collection that played with textures, combining luxurious leather with furry black and white tiger prints and rich cashmere drapings. Actors Noomi Rapace and Robert Pattinson and singer Lily Allen were among guests at the show where some suits came with a combat twist, overlaid with backpack-style accessories that resembled flak jackets. Luxury labels make some of their biggest margins on items such as handbags or belts, and Dior has been pushing these in its men’s ranges too.

Published in Daily Times, January 21^st 2019.