Dries Van Noten - Designer

[yslforever]

I just hope he's indeed leaving at his own terms, and not cause he's being pushed out by the Puig suits.

I do consider Puig pretty respectful shareholders, they are interested in developping beauty and fragances of course but they also commit themselves to the brands (Jean-Paul Gaultier, Rabanne, Nina Ricci, Dries Van Noten), for instance: they kept the Nina Ricci atelier in Paris, they are pleased with JPG Couture and the limited RTW on the website, they don't rush or overhype Rabanne/Dosenna. They don't make over-extended expenses or investments, they prefer to auto-finance, just like Dries already operates... He took his time to choose a buyer, who is as financially conservative and long-termist as he is.

 

[FashionFanatico]

Dries did everything absolutely right.
Now it's the perfect time to enjoy life and the big Puig bucks at the age of 65.
No more dealing with vapid influencers and the TikTok-Crowd.

He was very smart to still holding a certain power over his legacy that can live on (i'm sure it will be in good handa - smart as he is he managed that already) and still gets profits and for me the most important of it all: to secure the jobs for his dedicated loyal team of really talented people.

Let's just erase that he tried to cater a bit too hard to the youngsters with some confusing collections 2 or 3 years ago and his terrible collaboration with Supreme. But he found back to his true form lately even it was just a tasteful revamp of his bestsellers of the past. Still better than most of the rest that we see on the catwalks today.

The collection that proved he's top of the class was SS 2015 for me: «The «Midsummer Night's Dream»-or Ophelia inspired collection with a unforgetable presentation. Just perfection. In every way.

Which DVN collection did touch you guys in such a special way?

 

[Olaffo]

Which DVN collection did touch you guys in such a special way?

Fall 2011 - this was the menswear of obscene bourgeois in the best possible way: colours, these fur trimmed jackets, my God...
Spring 2015 - that is the only one collection inspired by ballet I can watch over and over again, masterpiece
Fall 2019 - this tailoring is top notch, could wear everything from this collection and more

And that's just menswear, don't even get me started on womenswear...

 

[MulletProof]

^^ His 50th show celebration for Spring 2005 by far!. Loved the collection but I think the show came to symbolise the opulence, richness and love for life that's all over his work, without ever entering into excess or gaudy territory.



[firstview]

I still want the book! if someone knows where to find it/who to fight, let me know! 🤡

 

[youthinasia]

Which DVN collection did touch you guys in such a special way?

Menswear Spring 2017: The textures, colours and the touch of silver
Menswear Spring 2015: Beautiful, beautiful. Untouchable.
Menswear Spring 2012: The most pared back but the use of red was so nice in this one
Menswear Fall 2011: Thin White Duke. Enough said.

 

[Lola701]

Which DVN collection did touch you guys in such a special way?

S/S2009: That’s the collection that really introduced me to Dries but also the first collection I purchased pieces from.

I started working in fashion at 16 and so growing up in that industry, I connected with brands and designers who were really about the sexy and chic allure: Gucci, Balenciaga, Chanel and so and so (very cliché fashion Parisian girl) and Dries, a bit like Lanvin a bit before had that very grown up image for me.

The perception I had from the brand was really older women, intellectuals and the false fashion narrative journalists likes to attach to brands and for some reasons, because of the women I knew who wore it in Paris, I assumed it was super expensive even though it was less expensive than the brand I was working for. While the S/S2006 is the one that made Lanvin believable for me, S/S2009 was that with Dries.

I think that collection is still a masterpiece! That collection was a master class in a way to mix Art and Couture. Everything was sumptuous in that collection. I wish I was rich to buy everything back then! I discovered his world, went to Quai Malaquai and was touched by his sensibility.
For me, it’s his best ever.

FW2010: My other favorite collection from Dries. I love how in that show he has managed to capture again the essence of Couture and mix it with an Urban allure. Extreme sophistication with the most down to earth, almost casual spirit. And the styling was exceptional! Khaki mixed with Leopard prints and navy blue? Believe me, I took some lessons!

SS2020: Probably the only unofficial Couture collection we will ever get from Dries.
Beyond the fact that collection launched that trend of designers collabs, I think it was such a fabulous collection. That collection was such a celebration of joy and exhuberance!

What made that collection so special was that it was shown before the pandemic. Then we were all on lockdown and it was such a strange time because the lockdown was unlocked in Paris and suddenly, there was that appetite for fashion! And I kept thinking about that collection and it uplifting spirit. I booked an appointment Quai Malaquai, had the best time ever at the store and got 3 pieces. And those pieces will forever represent that specific period when we wanted to have fun with clothes again.

They kept selling pieces from the Lacroix collection a longtime past that season.

And for menswear, probably the FW2017 because it’s my husband favorite collection and spending 3 hours at Quai Malaquai assisting a man’s fitting is an experience impossible to forget lol.

 

[Jungla_Juana]

another one for Spring Summer 2009! I have never not thought about these sandals since... they have permanent residency in my mind

vogue

 

[ecnerretneerg]

Which DVN collection did touch you guys in such a special way?

Fall 1998 - The first piece of fashion ephemera I collected was a catalog from this collection.. overall, very ahead of its time. It prompted me to go back and look at all his past collections.

Also, Spring 2000 (men), Spring 2011 (both men/women), and Spring 2015 (men) are among my favorites <3

 

[ghostfeed]

Dries Van Noten Autumn Winter 2020


I pulled this from my archives, a single shot of over 12 minutes of the Dries lineup backstage. Filming at his shows were always something very special, not least for the connection models had with the designer. The girls repaid the designer’s loyalty and affection by wearing collection pieces gifted to them from having walked previous shows.

Credits include: Dries Van Noten Autumn Winter 2020; Styling, Nancy Rohde; Hair, Sam McKnight; Makeup, Inge Grognard; Production, Villa Eugénie; Sound, Senjan Jansen; Casting, Piergiorgio.

damienneva.com

 

[LadyJunon]

I'm parroting @MulletProof here, but I've always considered Women's Spring'05 to be his unofficial magnum-opus.

This collection really represents everything I love about Dries and his approach to fashion design: it's fantastical, extravagant, opulent, but it's still firmly anchored in the reality of people's lives.

 

[NYLA22]

I really wish the older shows on YouTube had the original music. I adore Dries' taste in runway soundtrack.

 

[Phuel]

S/S 2015 and A/W 2015-2016 men’s were the one/two knockout that’s remained freshly imprinted and still felt to this day: Gentle, graceful, romantic and still assertive, masculine and so sensual. And all so effortless. His current offerings just all seem to be missing the effortless sensuality, and glad he’s bowing out.

 

[eugenius]

I'm going to vote for mens spring 2005. A lot of plaids in this collection, which I love. I stocked up here when it went 1/2 off at our local retailer. I still have one of the greeen plaid blazers in my closet. It hasn't fit me in years, but I'll be damned if I ever give it up.

Also, what I love about this collection (and also this era in his menswear) was that the clothes didn't necessarily scream out "expensive." Some of his current offerings just look a little too pricey for my tastes.

 

[Phuel]

Mullet, I was wondering why the 2005 women’s presentation you posted looked so familiar— so much a signature of Dries’, then I came upon the men’s A/W 2016-2017, of which wasn’t that long ago; he was still so achingly romantic, with that brand of masculine, easygoing, utilitarian opulence up to the late-2010s. You can see a lesser like Kim Jones desperately attempting that sort of utilitarian opulence with Dior, but hilariously failing so hard. Even Prada was good up until 2017 (my last Prada retail purchase. From thereon, it was all vintage). Untouchable:

 

[MulletProof]

he was still so achingly romantic, with that brand of masculine, easygoing, utilitarian opulence up to the late-2010s.

That has been one of my favorite elements of his work and what makes him superior among the rest, he can balance that beautifully and with a type of precision that doesn't seem self-conscious, it kind of just flows for him because his lexicon when it comes to textiles and cultures is that vast. Fall 2006, probably my second favorite (or my ultimate favorite if we're strictly focusing on the clothes) had that perfect marriage of romanticism with utilitarianism.. and from then on, he seems to have mostly explored that through menswear. The trajectory of his menswear and womenswear is quite interesting because he seemed not to have a very unique voice in menswear for years and years, it was kind of bland throughout the 00s imo, and it's probably the one area where he grew tremendously to the point womenswear entered autopilot for me and he seemed to reserve his strongest offerings for menswear. Or maybe it was just more rewarding and has more room for exploration and thoughtfulness, while I imagine womenswear is a little more fickle, faster, and draining due to the pressure... bottom line is, I found his menswear shows in the past 10 years way more representative of his strength as a designer.

 

[MulletProof]

I really wish the older shows on YouTube had the original music. I adore Dries' taste in runway soundtrack.

Fall 2007 still does! 🪕... can't stand the Beatles but he did warm me up to these 2 songs!


I forgot how good that collection was! 😮‍💨.. Jil Sander Fall 1999, Dries Fall 2007.. I need fugly and colorful orthopedic shoes.

 

[NYLA22]

Fall 2007 still does! 🪕... can't stand the Beatles but he did warm me up to these 2 songs!


I forgot how good that collection was! 😮‍💨.. Jil Sander Fall 1999, Dries Fall 2007.. I need fugly and colorful orthopedic shoes.

What a f'ing fabulous show (and yes, one of the only Beatles songs I truly like is this one, 'Love You To,' I believe it is. Their songs that use sitar are the only ones that I've really appreciated.)

 

[penny609]

Rest in Gardening Power, dear DVN. Will try hard not to miss you and think of my own retirement, when I'll breed dairy cattle in this lovely place called Cornwalls. Can't wait not to know who's taking over his namesake brand, don't eerie-even care. And like Russell Marsh once said: "who needs some exclusive booking at Dries' show?!". The rest will be history while it shouldn't have ever been.

 

[Phuel]

That has been one of my favorite elements of his work and what makes him superior among the rest, he can balance that beautifully and with a type of precision that doesn't seem self-conscious, it kind of just flows for him because his lexicon when it comes to textiles and cultures is that vast. Fall 2006, probably my second favorite (or my ultimate favorite if we're strictly focusing on the clothes) had that perfect marriage of romanticism with utilitarianism.. and from then on, he seems to have mostly explored that through menswear. The trajectory of his menswear and womenswear is quite interesting because he seemed not to have a very unique voice in menswear for years and years, it was kind of bland throughout the 00s imo, and it's probably the one area where he grew tremendously to the point womenswear entered autopilot for me and he seemed to reserve his strongest offerings for menswear. Or maybe it was just more rewarding and has more room for exploration and thoughtfulness, while I imagine womenswear is a little more fickle, faster, and draining due to the pressure... bottom line is, I found his menswear shows in the past 10 years way more representative of his strength as a designer.

I’ll confess I've taken Dries’ consistency— both in his men’s and women’s from the mid-2000 to the mid-2010, for granted.

The menswear offering, styling and presentation was so confidently solidified in that utilitarian opulence and elegance from the 2010s up until the A/W 2016/2017 collection. Where other once great talents were already started to decline by that period— like Tom Ford, Lucas Ossendrijver and Neil Barrett, Dries— at least his menswear, was that sole ray of light for menswear quietly gaining momentum. Then unfortunately, there was this instant decline in not just the aesthetic, but the design; like all that gorgeous opulence was just suddenly shut off. Maybe it was his venturing into new fashion frontiers— or maybe it was dictated by his new business handlers… because this quiet opulence already has no place in the industry by the end of the 2010s. Whatever it was, Dries’ romance was gone, and never returned. The current retail merch still has his signature easygoing separates, the relaxed suiting, the camel-coloured pieces etc. But just like Tom Ford before him, it all become coldly routine and business-as-usual from S/S 2017 on (…and never mind that horrific unofficial rebranding where it was all gormless children in boxy, graphic-printed commercial basics for a few years after Puig’s acquisition).

 

[YohjiAddict]

The name I heard floating around from someone close-ish to the brand is rather big…and a terrible choice in my opinion. Time will tell what the collections will be like but the successor has already been chosen.