(Mower)
Biography
Born in Antwerp, Belgium in 1958, Dries Van Noten was born into a family where he stood as the third generation in a family of tailors. As a child, he attended fashion shows and collections in Milan, Dusseldorf and Paris with his father. This allowed him to be more familiar and knowledgeable with the fashion industry, where he learned the technical and commercial side of this profession.
He attended the Royal Academy of Fine Arts while he was working for Belgian and Italian men’s wear labels as a freelance designer. This has helped him enhance his production for his own retail designs. After graduating, he went to London for a presentation of his work sponsored by the Six Antwerp, a group avant-garde designers who graduated from Royal Academy of Fine Arts (Werle).
After his launch of the menswear collection in 1986, his had an instant success leading to mass distributions to Barneys New York and plenty of prestigious customers (Critchell). While he sparkled in fame, he opened hi s Antwerp boutique in 1989 leading him to start women’s wear showrooms in Milan and Tokyo.
Van Noten was produced as Royal Designer for industry by the RSA trustee board in London in late 2008. He also was nominated for the FIT’s Couture Council award for the artistry of fashion in 2009 (Vougepedia).
Critical Analysis
Dries Van Noten’s ability to reflect the zeitgeist of the 1990s has left him as the most commercially successful of the Antwerp Six Designers. While applying his signature twist on all of his work, he added small embroideries to reflect to current events of the time. He grabs inspiration for his personal label from music, the streets and historic costume and turns them into fashion-changing collections. He achieved his Cul de Paris by transporting the secrets of rustic Europe through the embellishments of few buttons and gathers (Vinken 33). He reflected his belief of the body to be displayed as art object.
Van Noten’s work has always been characterized as a sophisticated, classic and modern twist. The use of bold colors, and layers of unique fabrics and patterns are one of his main signature touches. Inspired by both ethic and western cultures, Dries Van Noten uses traditional techniques from all over India, Morocco, and Europe. Superficially antagonist elements are reused and blended together to create new pieces. These traditional themes are combined with contemporary designs (Style Sequel).
Born in Antwerp, Belgium in 1958, Dries Van Noten was born into a family where he stood as the third generation in a family of tailors. As a child, he attended fashion shows and collections in Milan, Dusseldorf and Paris with his father. This allowed him to be more familiar and knowledgeable with the fashion industry, where he learned the technical and commercial side of this profession.
He attended the Royal Academy of Fine Arts while he was working for Belgian and Italian men’s wear labels as a freelance designer. This has helped him enhance his production for his own retail designs. After graduating, he went to London for a presentation of his work sponsored by the Six Antwerp, a group avant-garde designers who graduated from Royal Academy of Fine Arts (Werle).
After his launch of the menswear collection in 1986, his had an instant success leading to mass distributions to Barneys New York and plenty of prestigious customers (Critchell). While he sparkled in fame, he opened hi s Antwerp boutique in 1989 leading him to start women’s wear showrooms in Milan and Tokyo.
Van Noten was produced as Royal Designer for industry by the RSA trustee board in London in late 2008. He also was nominated for the FIT’s Couture Council award for the artistry of fashion in 2009 (Vougepedia).
Critical Analysis
Dries Van Noten’s ability to reflect the zeitgeist of the 1990s has left him as the most commercially successful of the Antwerp Six Designers. While applying his signature twist on all of his work, he added small embroideries to reflect to current events of the time. He grabs inspiration for his personal label from music, the streets and historic costume and turns them into fashion-changing collections. He achieved his Cul de Paris by transporting the secrets of rustic Europe through the embellishments of few buttons and gathers (Vinken 33). He reflected his belief of the body to be displayed as art object.
Van Noten’s work has always been characterized as a sophisticated, classic and modern twist. The use of bold colors, and layers of unique fabrics and patterns are one of his main signature touches. Inspired by both ethic and western cultures, Dries Van Noten uses traditional techniques from all over India, Morocco, and Europe. Superficially antagonist elements are reused and blended together to create new pieces. These traditional themes are combined with contemporary designs (Style Sequel).
Future Analysis
Dries Van Noten’s artful and dynamic prints, embroidery, and the wearable nature of his design are referred by Vogue as “poetic, ethnic- eclectic” aesthetics (Style.com). His signature looks, which are favored by many, are the floral tent dress, and the iris-print blouse. Van Noten is also known for creating suits that were layered with jackets that were buttoned diagonally (Vinken 33).
In 2008, Van Noten was won the Council of Fashion Designers of American as the best international designer. He was not only award only because of his wearable silhouettes, which were made with astonishing embellishments; he was rewarded for his politesse and simple personality that stood outside of the fashion industry, too. While designers labeled their designs with their name on everything to show importance, Van Noten never labeled his clothing frantically because he believed that other should decided how influential a designer should be (Critchell 29).
Dries Van Noten had a strong influence on younger designers and he was also heavily influenced by the Asian style such as floral motifs, tights, close cut and fitting dresses, and block heeled shoes with gorgeous brightly colored designs (Jaeger 50). The asian print gown, seen on Maggie Gyllenhall, is one of many techniques and signature touches Noten focuses on (image on right). Tim Van Steenbergen eulogized Dries Van Noten for his “romantic view, and dares to show himself very sensitive" (Mower). Seen on the red carpet, Nicole Kidman (image on left) dresses in Noten's garment which reflects his romantic standpoint and personality on the runway. "Not many designers have that courage—to be romantic” (Mower). I mainly chose to research this designer because I wanted to learn about designers I have never heard of. That being said, I do not own any of his garments. After looking through his work, I definitely would want to own some of his garments in the near future.
Dries Van Noten’s artful and dynamic prints, embroidery, and the wearable nature of his design are referred by Vogue as “poetic, ethnic- eclectic” aesthetics (Style.com). His signature looks, which are favored by many, are the floral tent dress, and the iris-print blouse. Van Noten is also known for creating suits that were layered with jackets that were buttoned diagonally (Vinken 33).
In 2008, Van Noten was won the Council of Fashion Designers of American as the best international designer. He was not only award only because of his wearable silhouettes, which were made with astonishing embellishments; he was rewarded for his politesse and simple personality that stood outside of the fashion industry, too. While designers labeled their designs with their name on everything to show importance, Van Noten never labeled his clothing frantically because he believed that other should decided how influential a designer should be (Critchell 29).
Dries Van Noten had a strong influence on younger designers and he was also heavily influenced by the Asian style such as floral motifs, tights, close cut and fitting dresses, and block heeled shoes with gorgeous brightly colored designs (Jaeger 50). The asian print gown, seen on Maggie Gyllenhall, is one of many techniques and signature touches Noten focuses on (image on right). Tim Van Steenbergen eulogized Dries Van Noten for his “romantic view, and dares to show himself very sensitive" (Mower). Seen on the red carpet, Nicole Kidman (image on left) dresses in Noten's garment which reflects his romantic standpoint and personality on the runway. "Not many designers have that courage—to be romantic” (Mower). I mainly chose to research this designer because I wanted to learn about designers I have never heard of. That being said, I do not own any of his garments. After looking through his work, I definitely would want to own some of his garments in the near future.
(StyleSight)
WORKS CITED
Critchell, Samantha. "Dries Van Noten Builds a Fashion Reputation Quietly." Reading Eagle [New York] 27 July 2008, Lifestyle ed., F4 sec.: 29. Print.
Jaeger, Anne-Celine. "Dries Van Noten." Fashion Makers, Fashion Shapers: The Essential Guide to Fashion by Those in the Know. New York: Thames & Hudson, 2009. 48-55. Print.
Mower, Sarah. "Swept Away." Vogue. N.p., Mar. 2003. Web. 02 Dec. 2013.
Vinken, Barbara. Fashion Zeitgeist: Trends and Cycles in the Fashion System. Oxford: Berg, 2005. Print.
Werle, Simone. "Dries Van Noten." 50 Fashion Designers You Should Know. Munich: Prestel, 2010. 124. Print.
"Dries Van Noten." Style.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2013.
"Dries Van Noten Spring/Summer 2014 | Paris Fashion Week PFW | FashionTV."YouTube. YouTube, 29 Sept. 2013. Web. 11 Dec. 2013.
"Stylesight." Fashion Trend Forecasting and Analysis. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2013.
Critchell, Samantha. "Dries Van Noten Builds a Fashion Reputation Quietly." Reading Eagle [New York] 27 July 2008, Lifestyle ed., F4 sec.: 29. Print.
Jaeger, Anne-Celine. "Dries Van Noten." Fashion Makers, Fashion Shapers: The Essential Guide to Fashion by Those in the Know. New York: Thames & Hudson, 2009. 48-55. Print.
Mower, Sarah. "Swept Away." Vogue. N.p., Mar. 2003. Web. 02 Dec. 2013.
Vinken, Barbara. Fashion Zeitgeist: Trends and Cycles in the Fashion System. Oxford: Berg, 2005. Print.
Werle, Simone. "Dries Van Noten." 50 Fashion Designers You Should Know. Munich: Prestel, 2010. 124. Print.
"Dries Van Noten." Style.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2013.
"Dries Van Noten Spring/Summer 2014 | Paris Fashion Week PFW | FashionTV."YouTube. YouTube, 29 Sept. 2013. Web. 11 Dec. 2013.
"Stylesight." Fashion Trend Forecasting and Analysis. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2013.