Just as poets, artist and musicians do; fashion designers gather inspiration for new works from all kinds of places. Whether it is the wider collective shifts of our time, the histories and cultural mythologies of people, political climes, emotions, literature, art or music, fashion is the sartorial echo of these inspirations – as designers push forward with new sartorial vision for each season.

Kris Van Assche is a designer whose garments draw upon many such inspirational fields, becoming heavy with allusions just below the surface of a broderie anglaise shirt, a pleated wool trouser or an airy silk kaftan. Often minimalist, Kris’s designs slide through the centuries, and his reference points do also. This can be seen in the images above and below, in which Kris has taken photos of his own moodboards for the Fall Winter 2008-2009 collections of both Dior Homme and his Kris Van Assche menswear collection.

Amongst Victorian ruffle-necked portraits, corsetry and bows on Dior Homme’s wall [above], a keen eye can spot Chinese clay warrior statues, alongside Surrealist architectural renderings of archways and geometric sketches. In addition are several images of nuns and priests in starched white collars and habits – all subtly translated into the dark, lustrous and austere offering that Kris made for his first runway show for the label.

Below on Kris’s menswear wall for his eponymous label, wild West scenes and cowboy hats are collated with black and white portraiture from the mid 20th century, including some of cinema’s most iconic images like Marlon Brando in The Wild One, James Dean, John Travolta in Grease and Elvis Presley. Suitable certainly, for the deshabille-styled boys Kris sent down the runway in tuxedo jackets, denim shirting, baker boy caps à la Brando, quilted leather, tartan and a true moviestar silver satin.

Though a wall of disparate thumbnail images such as these may seem a world away from the structure and story of a seasonal collection and a runway show, it is in fact a seminal start to the evolution of such collections – the support and narrative behind ‘designer’ clothing that allows it to [in turn] inspire others.

“An idea is a point of departure and no more. As soon as you elaborate it, it becomes transformed by thought.” – Pablo Picasso.