Paris

TWO OF fashion's most gifted menswear designers gave a masterclass in tailoring on the Paris catwalk on Friday.

Kim Jones showed why sales have shot up at Dior since he took over last year by hitting all the streetwear sweet spots while reinforcing the label's reputation for effortless elegance.

Kris van Assche, his Dior Homme predecessor who moved on to revamp Berluti, produced a sharp and richly coloured spring summer collection with a co-ed twist.

Both had trousers worn longer than they have been for a few years, and paid homage to the suit, boot, shirt trinity of classic tailoring. But there all similarities ended.

While the Belgian turned up the colour volume, Jones bleeds it out to the bare minimum of bleached-out Dior egg-shell blues, pinks and silvery greys.

While Jones went deep into Dior DNA, Van Assche cut loose at Berluti, with blocks of daring rich Yves Klein blue and ochre orange suits.

It takes a killer cut to get away with that kind of colour and the Belgian master upped the ante by lopping the sleeves off several of his suits and town coats for summer, as well as slitting the pencil trousers at the ankle. AFP