Fred Perry breaks the uniform

Fred Perry has always understood that cool is never forced. It is built quietly, over time, through sport, music, and the subcultures that adopt a uniform and make it their own. This new collaboration with Kris Van Assche feels like a natural extension of that legacy, not a detour from it.

Van Assche, the Belgian designer known for his sharp minimalism and rule breaking instinct, brings a precise but playful eye to Fred Perry’s most recognisable pieces. Across his career at Dior Homme and Berluti, he redefined masculinity by collapsing the boundaries between tailoring and streetwear. That same instinct drives this partnership, where youth uniform is elevated without losing its edge.

At the centre of the collection is the Fred Perry Shirt, reimagined in bold red and finished with three floral badges drawn from Van Assche’s personal archive. Florals have long been part of his visual language, here pinned proudly to a garment that already carries decades of cultural meaning. Elsewhere, the shirt is rebuilt as literal shirting, complete with black buttons and a pre-tied but adjustable tie, allowing the wearer to decide how formal, or how defiant, they want to be.

Sportswear silhouettes are treated with similar irreverence. The tracksuit becomes a pinstriped suit, complete with tailored detailing and silver hardware, while sweatshirts and knitwear play optical tricks through trompe l’oeil techniques and layered illusions. Traditional British Argyle appears subverted in black, grey and red, nodding to heritage while refusing to be polite about it.

This is Fred Perry at its most self assured. Confident enough to let a designer deconstruct its icons, and cool enough to trust the wearer to finish the story. No rules, just instinct.