Paris Fashion Week A/W 2011: Womenswear

Dries Van Noten

The pattern mastery that is Dries Van Noten's oeuvre took a subtle but no less chic turn for fall. Intricate swirls and stacked strata graphics - key motifs in the print rich collection - looked positively geological and very impressive. The originality of those patterns touched everything including the droopy ankle socks that were paired with gold metal-heeled booties - a precursor to the black and gold floral brocade that later came out in ready to wear. The elegance of this collection came from Van Noten's perfectly judged pairings, from wisps of fur on his wool coats, to the full-length column dresses made from collages of printed silk and crusted beading.