“PFW Fall 2020: Dries Van Noten”

Dries Van Noten’s Fall Winter 2020 collection is a (lethal) mix of different inspirations, but all interconnected. The glamor of unbridled and over-the-top parties from the 80s to begin with, which are an invitation to have fun and let the bad vibes go, two fundamental things, according to the designer, for personal well-being. And then a certain mystical and underground aesthetic, which we have seen so much on the New York fashion shows but which has definitely been missing in the last European ones. Van Noten redefines and, in a certain sense, makes the sumptuousness of each outfit lighter by adding a touch of dark, which does fit indeed and which recalls a very specific aesthetic, the one of the “nocturnal glamor” and “dress-to-kill” women.

Each outfit is characterized by excess, and this is probably still due to the influence of Christian Lacroix, with whom Van Noten collaborated for the last collection. Prints on prints, contrasting materials, layered accessories, everything magically finds its place. This is also the ultimate goal of the designer, who wants to provide women with a large wardrobe where to choose freely. It’s up to us to decide the limits and decide what to take and what not to take. It depends on our imagination and our needs. The important thing is not to run out of possibilities.

Words by Giulia Greco