Kris van Assche relaunches his eponymous fashion label after more than ten years

Kris Van Assche is relaunching his eponymous fashion brand with a new approach for both men and women, reports WWD. The Belgian designer is focusing the new edition of the label on a compact selection of garments, made from deadstock fabrics and sold directly to consumers.

Van Assche closed his then ten-year-old label in 2015, when he was also creative director of Dior Homme. With the relaunch, the designer is explicitly opting for a smaller-scale model. The first items are expected to be available around mid-September via the relaunched website.

The collection consists of approximately 40 styles, including jackets, shirts, trousers, skirts, dresses and knitwear. According to Van Assche, the emphasis is on a “tight edit” rather than an extensive collection. The use of deadstock fabrics also means that production will take place in smaller quantities.

The brand is positioning itself in the designer segment, but is opting for the lower end of that price range. Shirts are expected to cost between 400 and 500 euros, while jackets will be offered from around 1,000 euros.

Return to womenswear

Although Van Assche has spent most of his career in menswear, womenswear is once again taking an important place within the brand. The designer graduated from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp in 1998, specialising in womenswear. Between 2008 and 2010, he already designed womenswear for his own label.

The new collection also includes reinterpretations of signature styles from the brand's past, in addition to new designs. According to WWD, the first previews indicate a smart and sharply tailored style for men and a more sensual approach to womenswear.

Van Assche has been working on the new collection with a small team in recent years. Since his departure from Berluti in 2021, he has been involved in projects in ceramics and sculpture, and collaborations with brands such as Fred Perry and the Chinese sports brand Anta.

With the previous version of his label, the collection was sold at approximately 130 points-of-sale in 32 countries. At the time, its activities were mainly concentrated in Asia, with Japan and Hong Kong as key markets, followed by Europe and North America. The brand also had its own store on the Rue Saint Roch in Paris.