Rich color and texture informs the sophisticated menswear items.
Berluti‘s creative director, Kris Van Assche, has aimed to infuse artistic flair into his collections for the luxury house since he showed his first designs in 2019. Van Assche’s latest offering channels the aggressively deconstructed ceramics of Brian Rochefort, of whom Van Assche is a personal fan.
Rochefort’s creations are striking upon first glance, drawing inspiration from volcanoes with their splattered, densely-layered appearance. Rich shades of primary color explode through the piles of caked-on ceramic shell, translated by digital prints onto Berluti’s sleek shirting and outerwear. Van Assche also drew from Rochefort’s natural visual flair with this collection’s textured suiting and handcrafted footwear, more adventurous counterparts to the photograph-emblazoned sweaters. More understated items include Van Assche’s preferred elastic-waisted slacks and leather-trimmed accessories, which include the house’s signature shoulder bags and eyewear.
“Right now, collaboration feels like a meaningful way to create something new,” Van Assche said in a statement. “As something of a ceramics nerd, I have admired Brian Rochefort’s expression for a long time, and am fortunate enough to own one of his works. I couldn’t be more excited to interpret his vision through the lens of Berluti.”
Watch Van Assche talk design with Rochefort below.
https://hypebeast.com/2020/7/berluti-spring-2021-collection-brian-rochefort-ceramics-collaboration