‘Maybe the time of restricted garments is over’ declared Dries van Noten and dazzled his audience with an eclectic array of prints and patterns, finding...
"Maybe the time of restricted garments is over" declared Dries Van Noten and dazzled his audience with an eclectic array of prints and patterns, finding inspiration in Serge Diaghilev’s Ballet Russes and David Bowie songs from the 1970s, amongst other things. "I wanted to do a lot of things with this collection, 70s, 80s, 2000, why not?" the designer continued. The outcome of this attempted tour de force through the artistic achievements of the 20th century looked quite stunning, owing much to Mr Van Noten’s expertise in employing the right materials. Beads in graphic black and white, gold embroidery and snakeskin appliqués gave those clothes a very special touch.
At Gareth Pugh, there was some gold too, quite a bit for the designer who normally limits himself to a black palette. "Gold, the sun, and walking in a wall of light" he said, referring to a gigantic panel of rhythmically flashing bulbs that framed the show. The silhouette was generally long and slim, not unlike Mugler, where creative director Nicola Formichetti was interested in the post human, the artificially altered woman with an extremely stretched torso. The clothes relied heavily on the use of latex as sculptural element, giving the collection a bit of a fetish moment.
At Rue du Mail designer Martine Sitbon experimented with innovative knitwear, which came in bubbly 3D fabrics or a bright orange and red dress with a rounded hem. There was a heavy focus on the torso, too, with trousers reaching high up above the hem and streamlining the silhouette. Limi Feu, finally, brought a bit of girl punk, an occasional flower print or a cropped motorcycle jacket to the familiar solemnity of her father Yohji Yamamoto.
Text by George Ghon.
