On a crisp October morning, I hopped on the Manhattan-bound F train from Brooklyn with the Dries Van Noten boutique as my destination. The Belgian label opened its doors earlier this year on Mercer Street (its first in the city), in a more quiet pocket of SoHo. I’d walked by it a few times this summer whenever I found myself in the neighborhood, but not nearly as often as I’d passed by its flagship boutique on Nationalestraat in Antwerp; housed inside Het Modepaleis (a landmark building from 1881), its imposing structure and glowing window displays crystallized my teenage years growing up in Belgium.
Both spaces posses a jewel box-like quality that’s intimate and inviting. Discovery is rewarded here, as there is much to take in, from the ornate clothes to the eclectic art and eccentric flower arrangements. The boutique’s tall ceilings and narrow hallways create a sense of expansiveness, heightened by the raw beauty of the building’s exposed seams. A kaleidoscopic curation of beauty products sets the tone upon entering, urging you further into its back rooms. It felt at once familiar and uniquely New York.
Julian Klausner’s first fall/winter collection was on display when I visited, with ready-to-wear and runway styles sectioned into print and color stories across the ground floor and mezzanine. Accessories (including their beloved sneakers and bijou clutches) were dotted throughout.
There was a lot I wanted to try on, not least the very many sequin pieces that animated the fall show. Let’s get into it!
Sequins, Please!
I was completely enamored by the incredible sequin pieces that walked the fall/winter runway. This skirt, from look 28, is even more dazzling in real life. (A similar version is featured in our Fall Shopping List.) Their size and color is what makes them so expressive: these aren’t micro paillettes, but big, round droplets in ripples of brown and burgundy that sound when you walk. It’s lyrical dressing. It has a matching sequin top, but I paired it back to a chocolate brown knit (the season’s hero hue) and sculptural python wedges for a clean finish. A perfectly fitting look for the festive season, this skirt and a glass of port are the beginnings of a night to remember.
The Skirt-Pant Hybrid
One proposition that stayed with me from Julian’s menswear debut was the combination of sarongs knotted over trousers—I’d say this skirt-pant hybrid is the womenswear equivalent of that idea. The attached sequin mini (which wraps around the waist as a scarf) makes a nostalgic reference feel wholly new. It’s a look that invites closer inspection: the pant features intricate embellishment throughout, matched by the chenille sweater’s subtle sparkle. It was styled on the runway with an oversized, off-the-shoulder knit; I like the structure the blazer adds here.
So Nice, I Tried it Twice
Presenting the familiar through a new lens is what makes Julian’s ideas so visionary, and fashion so powerful—here, it’s the brand’s take on the going-out top and pant, imagined in various colorways and prints for fall. Styled as a mixed motif set, both pieces would easily earn their keep on their own: the sleeveless blouse with wide-leg jeans and a great cuff for evening; the pant with a ribbed white tank and flip-flops for a winter-sun getaway. I finished it with a pillow-sized, fluffy clutch–a dinner party conversation starter that definitely beats chatting about the weather.
Outerwear Heroes
Dries is as much known for its prints and embellishments as it is for its timeless takes on essentials. I appreciate the drama a long tailored coat brings to the everyday, and this pinstripe one has the perfect slouch without losing any of its structure. All that’s missing is my laptop and wired headphones, and I’m ready to head to the office—a sensibility that reminds of this quote by Klausner, who told Nicole Phelps after his womenswear debut that he wanted his let imagination go with certain strong looks, but also wanted to design pieces that can “exist in real life” and have “flexibility to how you wear them.” This coat encapsulates that thinking exactly. In a similar vein, one way to approach evening wear is with the coat-as-outfit look. There’s no better piece to do it in than one of the silk printed dusters. Add Art Deco-inspired jewelry and book a table for two at Cafe Zaffri.
Statement Skirt Styling
Statement midi skirts are core to the brand, reimagined each season. There’s no shortage of them for fall, in alpaca wool cowhide, layered silk, and even fringe. I was drawn to the intricate embellishments of this jacquard one, its artistry best admired up close. Between the shoestring lacing at the waist to the crystal and silver appliqués embroidered throughout, each detail reflects the house’s exacting craft. I’ve styled it here with a shrunken cashmere knit and pony hair heels for tension in texture. The brand’s envelope clutches are collectors’ curios, each one more ornate and elaborate than the next. Some are made in leather, some from deadstock fabrics. This embellished masterpiece, along with this precious stone one, are my two favorites in the fall assortment.
Festive Feathers and Draped Layers
Another fabulous skirt made up of layers of contrasting printed satin; its dramatic draping reminiscent of a curtain opening (fitting for a debut show at the Opéra Garnier in Paris). I love the nonchalant ease of a spirited midi skirt paired back to a T-shirt and statement necklace. I’d wear this in real life similarly with a thong-heel sandal, but couldn’t resist trying on these feathery mules. They feel like the ultimate (carpeted floor) dancing shoes—fashion brides, they also come in white!
The Sneaker Corner
Dries Van Noten’s sneakers have been a runaway success since their debut—the proof of which is the fact that hardly any of the smaller sizes were left in store. I played it safe and picked up an all-white leather pair when I was in Antwerp last winter, but secretly wish I went for a more cheery combo. Which would you choose?
#Browsing #Festive #Winter #Finds #Dries #Van #Noten
