Belgian Designer and the Evolution of High Fashion

Dries Van Noten once again blurs the line between tradition and innovation with “The Elegance of the Unexpected”. This latest avant-garde showcase has left a strong impression on fashion enthusiasts.

True to its name “The Elegance of the Unexpected,” the latest collection from the Belgian designer opens up a story about the evolution of contemporary high fashion. Dries Van Noten’s Fall – Winter 2024 collection for men delves into new aesthetics, where the significance of each piece highlights a longer silhouette. The collection is a harmonious blend of standardized aesthetics and avant-garde where the sophisticated designer disrupts conventional norms while retaining familiar values, creating looks that are both refined and rugged.

The runway, set against a ruggedly masculine rustic backdrop over time, begins with a subdued piano prelude, gradually increasing tempo as models emerge in unexpectedly styled garments. High-end tailoring dominates the initial ensembles, with blazers featuring sharp lapels and padded shoulders transitioning to more fitted overcoats, some adorned with detachable knitted sleeves, while others are enhanced with statement scarf collars.

The collection features many designs that epitomize “the unexpected,” showcasing Van Noten’s ability to utilize and combine top-tier materials. A warm jacket with a traditional silhouette is innovatively crafted by combining three materials: knitwear, leather, and denim, seemingly unrelated but transformed by Van Noten’s hand into a sophisticated and distinctly fashionable form. Nylon, inspired by classic styles, is also reinterpreted into modern military uniforms on cropped sleeve blazers and cargo pocket trousers.

The presentation also includes “unexpected” accessories, such as intricately layered scarves adding a touch of allure to rockstar-inspired outfits. A pair of long leather gloves, paired with both short-sleeved shirts and formal blazers, is also noteworthy. Minimalist jewelry in muted tones complements the serene sophistication of black, poised to become a trend for Winter 2024. Hence, the pastel color palette, with warm autumn hues like soft pink, orange, brown, and new buttery yellow, truly serves as a breakthrough, adding freshness to the dark tones.

Van Noten pairs the minimalist leather loafers with the collection and ends the show with an impressive catwalk, as models appear on descending platforms, on the other side of which stands a giant mirror reflecting like the staircase in Akira Kurosawa’s film Dreams.

In a fashion world often influenced and forecasted by trends, Dries Van Noten asserts his pioneering position by creating innovations that incorporate everything we know and love about high fashion, yet broaden accessibility to all layers of society. Thus, fashion is not merely an abstract concept but akin to living entities in the world, undergoing evolution to innovate while preserving carefully selected essences over time.

From then until now, Belgian fashion has made a resounding impact, as they have provided practical elements – something that designers in Paris and Milan have not achieved. They reject surrealism or the seductive, untouchable illusions of Mugler, Galliano, or Versace… Their clothing is beautifully harmonious, refined, practical, modest yet confident and distinctive. Their clothes are made to stroll the streets, rather than dazzle on the red carpet and leave customers “uncertain” about how to wear them. This arrogance and disregard for glamorous, impractical appearance have earned Belgians fervent fans and professional acclaim.

For Van Noten specifically, he only cares about what we can feel when we touch it. The intimate relationship between humans and clothing, between flesh and fabric, is what makes a garment mature with you. Mended keepsakes, repaired to be worn again, prove that you truly love that piece of clothing. Dries Van Noten wants to redefine modern elegance, understanding that young people aim for comfort and effortless elegance without constraints, yet full of character.