‘It isn’t a grand finale’: Inside Dries Van Noten’s ultimate present in Paris

Simply earlier than eight o’clock yesterday night (22 June 2024) a flurry of black automobiles made their method out of Paris in direction of the northern suburb of St Denis, the place an enormous former manufacturing facility had been remodeled for Dries Van Noten’s ultimate runway assortment. Earlier this yr, the Belgian designer – first identified for being a part of the avant-garde Antwerp Six which rose to prominence within the early Nineteen Nineties – introduced he can be stepping away from his label after 38 years on the helm.

Coming into the area, an infinite cube-like construction flickered by way of clips from Van Noten’s 128 earlier runway exhibits (the ultimate assortment can be his 129th), alongside clips of the designer working along with his atelier and workforce. Round it milled the present’s friends, every there to pay homage to the designer’s acclaimed profession. They included fellow Antwerp Six designers Ann Demeulemeester and Walter Van Beirendonck, former Valentino designer Pierpaolo Piccioli, Hermès’ Véronique Nichanian, American designer Thom Browne, and milliner Stephen Jones, amongst others.

Inside Dries Van Noten’s final runway present

Within the second room – revealed with the opening of a floor-to-ceiling black curtain – was a protracted, silver foil runway. It was right here that Van Noten would stage his final runway present, drafting fashions previous and current to put on the gathering’s 70 appears. ‘[Some of these models] have been with us for the reason that earliest exhibits, like household; their presence marking the passage of time,’ mentioned Van Noten. They included Hannelore Knuts, Kirsten Owens, Malgosia Bela, Debra Shaw, Malick Bodian, Jonas Gloer and Alain Gossuin, who opened the present, their footsteps inflicting the foil to float away from the runway in delicate floating shards.

The passing of time – maybe inevitably – was the central theme of the gathering, with Van Noten drawing inspiration from the work of Belgian conceptual artist Edith Dekyndt. Although her oeuvre is vast, a lot of her work centres on reworking on a regular basis objects by exposing them to water, chemical substances or air over time, a course of she usually paperwork in images and movie. As such, Van Noten spoke of a need to make items really feel lived in – materials included softly worn herringbone, linen and cotton drill – whereas methods like Japanese suminagashi, a sort of marbling, had been evoked to have fun processes which take time and endurance.

‘Earlier than a chunk of clothes is worn, it’s encoded with tales. When design comes from a private place, each element and choice is significant,’ he mentioned by way of the gathering’s accompanying notes. ‘[This collection] is a continuum of connection, encompassing concepts developed from classical to modern; testifying to craft and color; and in the end, offering a relaxed but elegant method of dressing. Garments that transfer by way of life with us, carrying us ahead.’

Of the gathering’s silhouette, Van Noten drew on traditional sartorial items, just like the tuxedo jacket, which right here was elongated to the ankle – an expression of the designer’s louche, romantic line. Different items confirmed a mastery of texture and color, from the plasticky sweet wrapper-like materials, which made up billowing parkas and shirts, to the molten metallics used throughout the gathering’s ultimate appears. The palette shifted from gray, ecru, navy and black in direction of richly expressive shades of burgundy, pink, peach, lime inexperienced and turquoise.

The present ended with an ebullient standing ovation as Van Noten walked out to take his ultimate bow. And, although emotion was excessive, the temper was celebratory, epitomised by the reveal of a large disco ball because the designer exited the runway to the euphoric sounds of Donna Summer time’s I Really feel Love. After the present, the celebration went on into the evening.