Kris Van Assche Out, Kim Jones In at Dior Homme
- Words Anteneh Gebre
- Date March 19, 2018
After 11 years with the brand, Kris Van Assche’s time as Dior Homme’s artistic director has come to an end. Replacing him will be Kim Jones, fresh off his exit of Louis Vuitton, where he served as the men’s artistic director.
2018 has been a year of changes at Christian Dior Couture, who in February appointed Pietro Beccari (formerly of Fendi) as chairman and CEO. Beccari’s first move at the helm of Dior was bringing on Jones, who many thought would fill the Chief Creative Officer role at Burberry until earlier this month when it was announced Ricardo Tisci would be holding that position. "I am delighted to welcome Kim Jones at Dior Homme. He will benefit from the support of the teams and from the 'savoir-faire' of the Ateliers to create an elegant men's wardrobe both classic and anchored in contemporary culture. I am confident that he will continue to further develop Dior Homme on a global scale,” said Beccari to Business of Fashion.
Jones echoes these sentiments, saying "I am deeply honoured to join the house of Dior, a symbol of the ultimate elegance. I would like to warmly thank Bernard Arnault and Pietro Beccari for their trust in giving me this incredible opportunity. I am committed to create a modern and innovative male silhouette built upon the unique legacy of the house.”
Jones made waves at Louis Vuitton; his streetwear influenced collections were universally celebrated and his recent collaboration with Supreme was an enormous success, which in hindsight looks like a victory lap for the St. Martins graduate.
"After 11 years at Dior Homme, my mind and heart filled with experiences, I am leaving this beautiful house to pursue new challenges," said Van Assche. "I wish to thank Bernard Arnault for the trust he placed in me, Sidney Toledano and Serge Brunschwig for their warm welcome at Dior and their continuous support during all those years."
Van Assche worked under Hedi Slimane at Yves Saint Laurent and followed him to Dior Homme in 2000. In 2004, he left to start his own label, which was quickly accepted by the industry. When Hedi Slimane left Dior in 2007, Van Assche filled his former mentors shoes and held the reins of Dior Homme.
Jones is set to present his first collection for Dior Homme next June, during Paris men’s fashion week.
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