Dries Van Noten Spring 2011: Strong-Shouldered and Dip-Dyed

Dries van Noten Spring 2011 Cheat Sheet:

• deceptively narrow, squared-off wedges
• ombre
• menswear
• THE white shirt dress
• shimmer
• sparkle
• Oriental prints
• wide shoulders
• wide legs

PARIS–Has Dries Van Noten ever produced a bad collection? Not that I can remember, and I’ve been studying the printsmaster since the mid-’90s. But this one was particularly palatable, mostly because he kept the prints to a minimal–I’m getting sick of digital textiles, aren’t you?–and produced a collection that, while anything but trendy, was incredibly on-point and wearable.

I’m a sucker for a good shoulder pad, so Van Noten’s oversized, bulky-shouldered blazers in shimmering pastels spoke to me–as did the suede pumps in lavender, grey, and terra cota. His pants were incredibly wide, relaxed, and a bit wrinkled. (I’m assuming that was done one purpose.) As for his signature prints, there was an ombre–if you can call that a print–and some Oriental inspired florals, but nothing too jarring or in-your-face. They swept across the bodice of the garments, but without making a brash statement.

As the models took their final walk, Florence and the Machine wailed in the background. A grand way to kick off Paris Fashion Week.

Nicolas Andreas Taralis Spring 2011: Life after Hedi and Cerruti

PARIS–After leaving his own label for two years and making an express appearance at Cerutti, Nicolas Andreas Taralis is in the spotlight again. And the former assistant to Hedi Slimane is in good hands: the grande dame Michèle Montagne (the matron of Ann Demeulemeester and Haider Ackermann) is now looking after him.

His comeback collection contrasted severity and airiness, leather and paper-thin silk.

His Tuesday show at Palais de Tokyo felt like an organic evolution of last season’s designs: a similar play on contrasts, skinny belting on sturdier cuts, peaks of skin, sheer draping, all carried out on knotted wedges and boots, by male and female models.

“There wasn’t one obvious, direct inspiration, but more like a reflection of what I’ve liked for some time already,” Taralis told us backstage after the show.

Indeed, elements such as a large V shape cut out from the back of a sheer shirt and light shawls tossed over the head added a summery feel to his somewhat Gothic clothes.

Other artful oppositions included military-meets-street silhouettes, with cargo-esque pants in thick mesh, paired with button-up shirts, throwing in a touch of monastery chic.

“I look at folk like a modern tribe, but there is also an element of street style. But my starting point is always something very traditional,” said the designer.

How does it feel to be back? “I’m very, very happy. Fashion might change, my view of it hasn’t,” he continued.

As for gender bending, we had to note a man in a tutu, and on the female side, much breast on show.

Who is the Taralis woman of the summer? “Well, I don’t know her, but I certainly hope to meet her soon,” Taralis said with a smile.

**All photos by Eulalie Juster.

Rochas Spring 2011: Marco Zanini Makes Editors Happy

PARIS–This is Marco Zanini’s fourth season designing for Rochas. Yet his short-lived tenure at Halston–as well Olivier Theysken‘s time at Rochas–is still very fresh in our minds. The good news: with every season, the Versace-schooled designer moves further and further away from those sticky associations, making Rochas his very own.

For Spring 2011, Zanini sent out a solid collection of floral satin tops and bottoms and plain satin slip dresses. All with handkerchief-wrapped hair that first reminded us of babushkas, then of 1930s and ’40s working mothers. It was as if Zanini had taken working class clothes and tinted them with wealth.

But there were some straight-up princess pieces, too, including an off-white ball gown with the tiniest Swiss dots and a milkmaid frock printed with a distinctly Scandinavian textile.

Zanini’s certainly got a few fans in the American section. T‘s Sally Singer out-n-out cheered when the designer took his bow, and we could see Grace Coddington crack a smile. Wintour was there, too, but it’s difficult to tell her expression behind those glasses. We’re betting she was pleased.