A look from Kris Van Assche’s spring line

Fashion followers have been wondering who that Kris Van Assche character that’s helming Dior Homme now that Hedi Slimane has departed. The Belgian designer—who had worked at Yves Saint Laurent and Dior Homme—quietly unveiled his first line for the label this past August; it was a quiet presentation and collection unlike his predecessor’s cooler-than-thou concoctions.

Van Assche did the same this season for his eponymous women’s line. Staged in a Marais gallery space, the intimate presentation featured several models wearing the designers tailored suits and sporty dresses. Mesh knits, acid yellow, and suiting were Van Assche’s main motifs—which perfectly paralleled his designs for Dior Homme. The gathering had none of the hip, hanger-on crowd that seemed to always follow Slimane, but then there have been many successful designers who have not played the pied piper to all the chicettes.

Slimane, by the way, was spotted at the Guggenheim’s Richard Prince opening in New York last week. Funny to think that the designer—who claimed that one of the reasons he left Dior was because he wanted to design womenswear—would spend Paris fashion week in another city, no? Given his recent appearance, perhaps he’s decided to focus on photography, his other favorite artistic pursuit.

All photos Kris Van Assche spring line