a lift
In recent years, I have pared down the number of fashion week shows I check out, but Dries Van Noten is always on my list*. Once or twice a year I visit my local Dries boutique and I always come away empty handed, because a) too expensive for me, let’s be honest; b) his clothes are not for my life and c) I guess I’m still waiting for that magic moment when I find the perfect piece to take home with me.
But I don’t stop looking at his shows, because even if I don’t dress like that, I love his vision and his carefully considered mix of texture, print and colour. We’ve all complained about the pattern-mix trend but I never tire of how Dries Van Noten does it because his is not a grab for attention or a need to shock. It has specific reference points and evokes a particular mood and it always feels to me like he’s exploring an idea (last season’s chinoserie, this season’s grunge plaids). This is why I come back and look and his collections year after year, because he continues to have something new and relevant to say. And inexplicably, it feels consistent at the same time, distinct to him, very “Dries”.
I don’t feel the need to buy his stuff, or look for ways to interpret his ideas with my own clothes. For me, it feels good enough to admire his skill, feel inspired by how he has expressed his creativity, and love that his work elevates fashion beyond just clothing oneself without wandering into absurdist territory.
It feels great to start my weekend with something so inspiring. hope everyone has a great weekend as well.
* - Also on my list this season: Zero Maria Cornejo, The Row, Humberto Leon and Carol Lim for Kenzo, Valentino, Phoebe Philo for Celine, Hedi Slimane for YSL (or shall I say Saint Laurent Paris already?), Raf Simons for Dior, Alber Elbaz for Lanvin. Who’s been following the shows this season? What shows are you liking, or looking forward to?
Pictures from vogue.com
Comments
http://nomadic-d.blogspot.com/
Looking forward to Hedi and Raf's respective debuts, Lanvin, and Vanessa Bruno.
The Jil Sander show was everything to me. Now that Jil herself is back at the helm, I'm just ecstatic to see modern, simple and practical clothing that I can see myself wearing everyday.
I also loved Narciso Rodriguez's show and I always check out pictures from Carven's Paris showing. I have pretty much stopped looking at everyone else, unless a blogger alerts me to it.
I don't know much about Maria Cornejo, wish a little more was written about her! Actually I'm always interested in women designers because it's one way of observing how women view other women, or themselves..
Nomadic D: It was hard just to choose a few looks, I even liked the feel of those billowing caftans, even though they'd probably look silly on most people. I liked looked at the fabrics move...check out the show in video.
Pret a Porter P: I really like the Donna Karan show this season ...wouldn't have looked at it if some pictures popped up on blogs.
Your blog keeps me up to date on Gareth Pugh, and I have to agree that there's a lot more to him than the the whole hoopla he created in the initial years.
navyslate: I just saw pix of the Vanessa Bruno show, very pretty the way her spring shows usually are. It reminded me of the collection Phoebe Philo did for Chloe in 2005, that was one of my favourite collections. - http://out-of-the-bag.blogspot.sg/2009/09/cut-back-to-four-years-ago.html
I wasn't so in love with Jil Sander...her work in theory is my sort of thing but I don't connect emotionally with her designs. But I'm interested that she has something to say about fashion and I feel somewhat vindicated for her that she reclaimed for her namesake label.
Ammu: Your comment reminded me of that post, which I only glanced at in a hurry. Went to read it again and it was such a pleasure.
Definitely want to check out the Narciso show, read lots of good things about it.
editor: The draping of her dresses don't work on me but I love her trousers and jackets and coats. You're right about how well the designs work with flats as well, I suppose that's why I'm drawn to them!
A lot of the Dries looks I'm drawn to come in silk and that's too warm for me. There was a plain navy cotton blouse I mildly regret not buying two years ago. But I suppose good things come...eventually.
mel: I LOVE his Paris boutique, passed by it unexpectedly when I was there last year and it really made my afternoon. I saw a number of beautiful Dries spring coats at a sale this year and wished I had some use for them!
I'm not much of an Isabel Marant fan but the hype has been fascinating and it's interesting to see how different people wear it - there seems to be a very classic end of things and then there's the trendy stuff (printed jeans and those sneaker wedges).
Anh: That's too bad, because I wasn't in anyway copying her. My post is pretty much an off-the-cuff reaction to the spring show of a designer I've long loved.
(And for the record, Lindsay's post was lovely, I'm not in any way putting her down.)
Anon: Thanks for your comments (I removed one because you posted the same one twice) :)