Acclaimed Belgian fashion designer Dries Van Noten has retired at 66, after announcing earlier this year that he would step down after his Paris Fashion Week menswear show in June. It brings to a close a groundbreaking career of almost 40 years.
Celebrated for his eclectic combinations of high and low-culture prints and patterns, such as a Francis Bacon-inspired collection, and oversized pop-prints of Marilyn Monroe, Van Noten taught an entire generation how to work boldly with colour and ideas.
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His designs were an almost impossibly coordinated blend of avant-garde aesthetics and practical wearability, often featuring an inexplicably harmonious hodgepodge of cultural references and historical allusions. From referencing Italian poet Gabriele D’Annunzio to taking inspiration from Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece A Clockwork Orange, the Belgian designer managed always to create intellectually stimulating and visually captivating clothing-as-art.
Born in Antwerp in 1958, Van Noten was the third generation in a family of tailors. His early exposure to fashion and textiles inspired him to enroll in the fashion design course at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Belgium, a prestigious institution that has shaped a raft of influential designers.
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After graduating in 1981, his 1986 debut collection was well-received, quickly gaining him a reputation for a unique aesthetic combining traditional craftsmanship with modern innovation. In the 1990s, he emerged as a key member of the “Antwerp Six”, a group of Belgian designers who put their city on the global fashion map, including Ann Demeulemeester and Walter Van Beirendonck.
Van Noten has presented collections at Paris Fashion Week every year since 1993, initially part of a 1990s design movement that challenged the conventional fashion narrative of the time. His work has told stories steeped in emotions, using fashion to explore themes like identity, culture and history.
A purveyor of thought-provoking pieces, Van Noten’s catwalks fused elegant conceptualism – the notion that the idea is at the core of the design process – with the starkly unexpected, such as his 50th collection in 2015, modelled atop a room-length dining table beneath a row of chandeliers. Inspired by John Everett Millais’ Ophelia, his spring/summer collection was presented under dusky golden lighting, with models walking down a moss-covered runway, eventually to recline on it in a memorable pre-Raphaelite dream-like finale.
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A lasting legacy
Van Noten stood out from the fashion crowd in several ways. A Belgian designer who established a successful fashion business for a global audience, he created fashion beyond conventional fabric styles and imagery. His work exemplified a sophisticated, thoughtful approach that resonated with discerning followers of fashion worldwide.
The next generation of fashion designers can learn much from Van Noten’s work. His commitment to craftsmanship and and ethical practices all chime with modern audiences. He demonstrated this through his meticulous attention to detail, employing intricate patterns and cuts that seamlessly mixed cultural and historical references. Van Noten ensured that his brand maintained high standards of quality and ethical integrity, setting a benchmark for others in the industry.
In the documentary Dries (2017), Pamela Goblin, curator of the first-ever solo exhibition about him at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris in 2014, brilliantly summarised Van Noten’s ability to combine ideas. “The way he looks at things is without a hierarchy, whether it be fine arts or pop-art, low culture or high culture, he looks at it with the same eye, the same passion, the same curiosity.”
He drew inspiration from art, literature and travel, an eclecticism evident in his collections, often featuring a fusion of prints, patterns and textures, creating a rich visual tapestry.
His June show in Paris was the highly anticipated culmination of 38 years, 150 collections and 129 shows. The press release for his final show began, “There is no beginning, and there’s no end,” setting a tone of timelessness so characteristic of his designs.
The catwalk was adorned with delicate silver leaves that scattered as the models walked past. The collection showcased Van Noten’s classic tailoring and ingenious prints, this time infused with a traditional Japanese marbling technique called Suminagashi that made every piece unique. After Van Noten’s farewell, a curtain dropped, revealing a giant disco ball accompanied by the sound of Donna Summer, signalling that the party was far from over.
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Van Noten’s brand became synonymous with quality and innovation, and fashion enthusiasts worldwide eagerly anticipated his collections. His ability to stay true to his vision while evolving with the times made him a revered figure in the fashion industry.
Whether he was experimenting with new fabrics, exploring diverse cultural references, or producing incredible fashion shows, Van Noten’s vision was always modern and forward-thinking. His contributions to the fashion world have left a lasting impact, and his pioneering spirit will be remembered, influencing young designers for years to come.
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