Paris Fashion Week witnessed the revitalization of a mid-renovated building as the backdrop for Dries Van Noten’s remarkable collection. This collection’s strength lies in the artful fusion of contrasts.
Van Noten masterfully combined classical active sports themes, including tennis, cricket, and rugby, with more refined and ladylike silhouettes, resulting in a refreshingly unique collection poised to influence high-street fashion and editorial spreads in the upcoming year.
The collection’s allure lies in the juxtaposition of the familiar and the unfamiliar. It artfully pairs well-known elements such as chino, denim, and rugby stripes with unexpected choices. For instance, sports bras were ingeniously matched with oversized parkas, trench-coats boasted bold rugby club stripes, and striped pants dazzled with sparkling embroidery.
This collection doesn’t hesitate to turn conventional fashion wisdom on its head. Van Noten’s emphasis on daywear is evident in the practicality of the clothes, which are not only stylish but also machine-washable. For those with a taste for embellishments, the collection doesn’t disappoint, featuring surprising details like crystal-studded, diamanté high heels.
Venturing into the realm of couture-worthy denim, Van Noten presented pieces like a WW1 field-marshal’s coat and a pagoda jacket—technically challenging due to their stone-washed finish, which disrupted the traditional interior horsehair.
The soundtrack of the show, curated by Too Many DJs, delivered a captivating blend of spoken words by icons like Madonna and Bjork, interwoven with lush orchestral rock. This auditory experience underscored the artistry of fashion show soundtracks—an often overlooked modern art form.
Van Noten received a thunderous applause, the smile of a designer who knew he had delivered a masterpiece. In the fashion world, this collection stands out as the most dateable for 2024.
Jun Takahashi of Undercover, a designer’s designer, presented a show in Montparnasse that celebrated creativity.
The show’s finale featured a trio of illuminated bubble skirts, unveiling miniature rose gardens teeming with fluttering butterflies—a magical sight to behold.
Nearly every ensemble in the collection exuded an air of enchantment. The opening series showcased delicate veiling draped over sleek suits and patchwork blazers meticulously crafted from chalk-stripe, gabardine, dove gray wool, and gauze.
The eveningwear segment showcased exquisite printed gowns inspired by the historic religious oil paintings of German artist Neo Rauch. These gowns artfully merged images of saints, scholars, sailors, and savants.
Takahashi, a man of few English words, revealed his vision of «deleting everything» he felt when regarding Rauch’s historical painting—an approach that led to the creation of this mesmerizing collection.
Rauch’s imagery took center stage, with oversized pajama looks, bold bankers’ suits, silk blouses, and summer trenches.
Jun Takahashi shared his dream of a movie where people from the past resurrect memories like ghosts—a sentiment as enigmatic as ancient oracles.
With a smile, he added, «When I go, I want to become a ninja!»