Kris van Assche was a bit unlucky at his SS10 show, because from time to time his presentation was almost out done and overwhelmed by gangs of rogue protesters, who made a racket next to the catwalk. No one knew what they were upset about, but it’s not likely to have been Kris and his clothes. The Belgian designer showed a monochrome collection, per usual, and kept up his theme of playing around with tailored shapes. There were less sportswear influences then before, which is one of the looks Kris has pioneered in the past. Instead we were treated to extra long shirts, jackets and t-shirts. Layering was big as van Assche expanded on his loose silhouette from last season.

Kris has a bit of a reputation for tackling the design challenge that is the trouser. We all wear them, but not so much can be done about pushing its creative boundaries. In the past, Kris has experimented with harem-style trousers and, as we saw last time around, cargo pants with oversized pockets. Now he showed loose fitting shorts, layered with either leggings or trousers. The most unlikely pairing though, most have been the boot crossed with a sandal. As unusual as that sounds – and looked – it worked, like with most things Kris van Assche does. Afterwards, Dazed Digital stole a few minutes of his precious time…

Dazed Digital: How would you describe the collection in just a few words?
Kris van Assche: An African in New York !

DD: How did that come about?
Kris van Assche: My inspirations come from the city streets, but also from my travels. For me, a cool look today is a mix of different looks, it has it origins in several countries and cultures. And an African in New York says it all, I think!

DD: So what were the African bits from the show?
Kris van Assche: The long shirts, the wrap-around scarf, the sandals, the sand coloured clothes, and also the music. The blue colour I used is called Tuareg blue, which is an African tribe.

DD: And representing New York City?
Kris van Assche: The end result was supposed to look urban, it’s just that  it had its origins from around the world.

DD: What is it with you and trousers - you seem to be pushing for a trouser revolution?
Kris van Assche: They break up suits, I’m always trying to loosen up the stiffness in suits. And they are quite important, you never see anyone without them!

DD: What was your favourite piece from this collection?
Kris van Assche: I guess my choice for the summer would be the shorts.

Backstage photography by Giovanni di Nunzio. Film by Joost Vandebrug.

You need to have the Macromedia Flash plugin installed to be able to play this video.