Berluti blends girls with the boys

By

Godfrey Deeny

Published
Jun 22, 2019

A change of venue and a change of pace at Berluti, in a surprise co-ed show that finished with the two biggest catwalkers of this century – Gigi Hadid and the beauty she succeeded, Natasha Poly.
 

A total of eight women’s looks in a collection of 50 passages in total, with Poly in an abstract expressionist blotch print top and feathered skinny pants; and Hadid in a mint-green suit sewn with marabou feathers.

The launch of a Berluti womenswear collection? Not quite, according to the house’s CEO Antoine Arnault.

“The girls are just there to make the guys look better!” smiled Arnault, before adding, “Though we already do custom-made for women in our boutique and that will certainly continue."
 
After the grandiose Palais Garnier for his Berluti debut in January, designer Kris Van Assche chose a garden location this season. A skillfully shaded and produced show in the shadow of the L’Orangerie glasshouse inside the Luxembourg Gardens.

 
The key story was the strong tailoring: lean jackets and pencil pants; the ankles cut open and finished with Berluti fabric logo, a trick Van Assche took from his previous job within the LVMH empire, designing for Dior Homme.
 
The Belgian-born designer is adept colorist – wowing with dramatic Imperial Roman purple lambskin, double-breasted duster worn over lavender leather pants; or a sensational Yves Klein blue combo of Rockabilly star suit and matching parka; and a trio – including one gal – in matching Mary Quant orange town coats. While his leather suits and redingotes in Berluti’s signature literary leather weren’t half bad either.
 
Kris has also amped up the accessories, with burnished leather briefcases trimmed in orange; while his rhombus boots had metal toes that matched the men’s shirts. Ergonomic Flash-Gordon-goes-on-Space-X boots were very groovy too.
 
Post-show, fans mobbed the interior of the L’Orangerie, led by Ricky Martin and a truly miniature Joe Jonas. In short, Van Assche looks very at home chez Berluti.