{NM Daily}

Dries Van Noten, Spring/Summer 2012, Paris Fashion Week

Pattern and proportion play was the order of the day at Dries Van Noten.

Patterns: Traditional black and white Toile de Jouy, exploded and overscale. A ginkgo leaf print. Yellow roses mixed with the Toile de Jouy and a jade green print of the ocean. Color injected with a scenic jungle-green palm pattern. Black and white photo prints of an explosion of flowers. Photo prints of Las Vegas cityscapes and casinos were unexpected and injected high color on a dark ground. (The Las Vegas photo was a transparent panel on the show invitation.)

Proportions: A tunic with volume falling from a yoke, over narrow black pants. A sheath dress with a flounce on one sleeve. Jackets tied at the waist and under the bust with cotton strapping. Peplum pants with tops. Smock dresses trimmed with heavy black lace. Fitted sleeves resolved in a deep Spanish ruffle and cut to 3/4 length. Shaped sleeveless jackets with subtle peplums were worn over the fuller peplum pants. Evening skirt, fitted to the knee with a full flounce, with a cotton shirt and white cropped jacket for evening — spectacular!

The graphic strength of black and white, with the ruffled flounces and volume over narrow proportions brought much newness to a collection we always love.

Dries Van Noten’s Fall collection is in select Neiman Marcus stores.