Strong Suits

Unlike women’s formal wear, options for men—like the venerable black-and-white tuxedo— tend to be rather stiff and stay unchanging. Last November, though, Kris Van Assche of

launched his Black Carpet capsule collection in Beijing, and it was a true gamechanger. This particular selection of suits champions edgy deconstructed styling that manages to sex up the age-old penguin-like ensemble. To illustrate, the collection included a smoking jacket embellished with a wild splash of paint that looked like a fresh and magnified scar. There was also a classy gray suit adorned with a three-dimensional line. “The idea,” the creative director elaborated, “was to convey the energy and rebel attitude of the runway collection in a capsule collection of evening wear while playing with the embellishment codes and know-how of Dior.” If anything, this rebel certainly won the battle.