Backstage at Dior Homme: SS 2018

Kris Van Assche celebrated his 10-year anniversary as artistic director at Dior Homme the only way anyone could want—by debuting his Summer 2018 collection at the Grand Palais in Paris. Partly inspured by François Bard’s realistic oil paintings, Van Assche’s collection was an edgy athlete’s midsummer night’s dream. Backpacks, embellishments, sneakers, and athletic stripes were mixed with a more collegiate influence (think argyle knits, varsity-esque jackets with bomber-style sleeves, and track tops), and the blend of worlds suggested a boy on the cusp of adulthood—his last summer of youth. Well-fitted and tailored ottoman wool blazers were worn by several models in varying lengths and styles as a way to play on this impending new stage of life.