Berluti unveils first campaign under Kris Van Assche

French heritage brand Berluti has unveiled its first campaign under new artistic director of Kris van Assche. The campaign aims to position the LVMH owned company back to its roots.

The images feature three male models, torsos nude, posing with the label’s classic Alessandro oxford shoes draped across their bodies. Van Assche, who came from Dior Homme and stepped into the role last April, enlisted art directors M/M Paris to create a an image that resonates as authentic Berluti: the embossment of an antique shoe tree unearthed from an archive ‘Alessandro’ shoe dating back to 1895, the year Alessandro Berluti established himself as shoemaker.

“For this first campaign, I wanted to create an image rooted in the maison’s origins and emboss it with my vision” Kris Van Assche commented in a statement on Berluti's website. “See you in January.”

“This campaign was thought of and art directed by Kris, I relate to it because it speaks of who we are while holding a promise of more to come” said Antoine Arnault, CEO of Berluti.

The Alessandro shoe is Berluti’s emblematic lace-up model constructed from a single piece of patinated Venezia leather or alligator. Berluti does not currently operate an e-commerce website, however retail prices for the Alessandro shoe at Mr Porter start at 1,530 pounds.

Images courtesy of Berluti website