Dries van Noten catwalk show report | PFW S/S 2016

A derelict warehouse may not be the location that comes to mind when one thinks of a collection by Dries van Noten, but nevertheless, that was exactly where his spring/summer 2016 collection was shown. 

The elegant designs themselves could not have been further removed from their setting, although they did bear a certain sense of nostalgia for more glamorous times past. Van Noten seemed to be looking specifically at the silver screen age of the 1930s and 1940s, something which was clear in the silhouettes of the mid-length gowns and the glamorous embellishments.

 Dresses were long and printed, often with sequinned bodices. Gold, copper, carnation and pale blue palettes arranged themselves into wing-like motifs and a stylised pattern of feathers that recurred throughout the show. Those sequins also covered a series of white shirts, appearing again on the shoulders of sweaters and on the loose-fitting, boxy shorts. 

Van Noten also stuck to luxurious, traditional fabrics that seemed to exude a sense of vintage glamour, from intricate jacquard and brocade to shot silk and tulle. The palette was equally rich, centred on deep purples and kingfisher blues, with electric touches of pink, yellow and green to bring the overall designs into the modern world. 

This was an absolutely stunning collection, and one which showed Dries van Noten at his best with the beautiful combinations of juxtaposing fabrics, patterns and colours. 

Grace Cain