Hello, glamazons; farewell, luxe nomads. The spring shows have made it very clear that the international bohemian has, for the most part, taken down her yurt and switched over to a steady diet of cargo pants and satin dresses. That could spell trouble for a designer like Dries Van Noten, whose stock in trade—pretty, ethnic-inspired dresses and tops, gently generous silhouettes, and unique colors—was perfect for the haute hippie trend.
But just because the fashion caravan has moved on, that doesn't mean Van Noten will. He has a loyal customer, and this collection will provide her with an ample spring wardrobe. The designer showed plenty of his signature full, stripy skirts paired with limp knit tank tops, and he gave a quick nod to current styles in the form of satin tank tops, a few cropped blouson jackets and some pretty chiffon dresses. Where he really let fly, though, was in his masterful, inventive color palette. Any designer who can put together combinations like turquoise and brown, wine and orange, or lemon and apricot (to name just a few) is clearly capable of setting his own itinerary.
