Extreme juxtaposition of styles is one of Dries Van Noten’s not so secret anymore weapons when it comes to making a collection. In fact, it’s become his signature and like a great DJ who can play Pink Floyd’s The Wall as a dance track by pitching up the speed and then dropping beats, Van Noten has always mixed colors, patterns, prints and fabrics with streety denim and nylon to make his contemporary clothes. During the pandemic he paid homage to his hometown of Antwerp and now he is back in Paris with an achingly beautiful new collection, which was shown not on a runway, but in a dilapidated and hauntingly beautiful hôtel particulier on rue de l’Université in St. Germain. Again, Van Noten let it clash. The ultra chic Parisian address brought to life the work of deceased Torino based, Italian artist Carlo Mollino and Van Noten’s general love for Cinecittà and its characters like Mina Mazzini. Carlo Mollino style photos and videos were placed on several floors of the hotel where Van Noten gave personal tours of the collection. And god, beautiful it was. On top the Puig owned Belgian fashion house entered the long anticipated arena of beauty with ten signature fragrances based on Van Noten’s love for flowers, plants and gardening plus a series of lipsticks and scented creams.

Most memorable?

It feels like Van Noten is preparing an Haute Couture launch next after beauty. There was a black leather coat made of 14000 individual pieces, shoulders edged in crystal, bright porcelain booties and the general air of lesser street and more Haute Couture elements from his memorable collab show with Christian Lacroix.

The Italian diva?

Van Noten’s statement coats with cinched waists and super rounded shoulders in silk and lurex and zebra befit any.

Beauty the DVN way?

Of course, the perfume flacons are refillable and beautiful objects that could also serve as a vase as they are made from hand painted porcelain. The packaging is bio degradable and Dries came up with clever names like Raving Rose.