BERLUTI CONFIRMS KRIS VAN ASSCHE AS NEW ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

LVMH-owned menswear brand Berluti has confirmed that Kris Van Assche has been appointed artistic director of the house. Van Assche will be in charge of shoes, leathergoods, ready-to-wear, and accessories collections for Berluti. He will present his first collection during Paris Men’s Fashion Week in January 2019.

“I am delighted to welcome Kris Van Assche to Berluti,” said Antoine Arnault, CEO of the house. “I have known him for several years, have always admired his work at Dior Homme and I am looking forward to working with him.”

“I have always wanted to build bridges between the savoir-faire, the heritage of a house and my clear-cut contemporary vision,” added Van Assche. “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. I would also like to thank Mr Bernard Arnault for his renewed confidence. ”

This news comes just days after Haider Ackermann announced he would be leaving Berluti after just 18 months at the creative helm – a decision that stunned many in the menswear community. Ackermann, who has a background mostly in womenswear, received many glowing reviews for his take on the classic menswear house. A specific reason for leaving the brand was never revealed.

Van Assche will be joining the brand from Dior Homme, marking another move in the confusing musical chairs the menswear community has been going through in recent months.

Just within the month of March, Van Assche left Dior Homme after 11 years to make room for Louis Vuitton’s star menswear designer Kim Jones, who was then replaced at Vuitton by Off-White designer Virgil Abloh. Meanwhile, long-time Givenchy designer Riccardo Tisci moved to Burberry upon the exit of Christopher Bailey.

With Van Assche landing at Berluti, let’s hope the big moves between Houses have come to end, while we look to see what these men will do with their new respective labels.