Neon-lined skate ramps served as the backdrop for the Fall 2016 Dior Homme show this weekend, as Kris Van Assche showed a collection that added a contemporary, almost aggressive edge to the brand’s traditional elegance. There were overcoats in rich blood red, clean camel pieces, and Fair Isle and plaid aplenty, all of which brought an athletic bent to the sharp suiting and sporty outerwear. Van Assche explained that the collection was about looking at the past without nostalgia, a refusal to dwell in days gone by when the here and now is so exciting in its own right. The pieces had a refreshing looseness (both in spirit and shape), as if Van Assche had indeed freed himself of the need to follow the house’s codes too strictly. His former counterpart on the women’s side, Raf Simons, has been blunt about the stresses of designing for an international powerhouse like Dior, so it was refreshing to see Van Assche taking it all in stride and finding the room to relax into his designs. Van Assche has never been afraid of looking ahead, and, even if his vision seemed tough, it was clear that he saw a bright future.

See our backstage and runway coverage below: