Paper Dreams Fashion Kingdom Extravaganza

Paper Dreams

Weirdly for a supposedly instant-hungry fashion blogger, using (slash stealing) pics from Style.com to use for posts feels like a very unsatisfactory procedure. Necessary sometimes but not enjoyable. A boxed-in bound glossy photo book consisting of an atmospheric photo story as well as the perfunctory catwalk shots that arrives at just about the time when the pieces will be going into store is a completely different kettle of fish.

I leapt upon this Dries Van Notens lookbook, opening the box, lifting off the layer of tissue paper with enthusiasm last night when I got back from Paris (no real posts yesterday – will be explained later at approx. 6pm). It mainly consists of a series of images by noted backstage photographer Schohaja Stassler, which documented the A/W 11-12 show from venue to backstage to runway at the opulent Hotel de Ville (best carpeted staircase that Ive ever taken to ascend into a show…). Dries Van Noten in general seem to have a knack for tactile printed paraphernalia as Ive kept their velvet textured invite from A/W 11-12 and this boxed-in glossy booklet certainly jolted the show in my head again, better than any video. Or should I not be saying that as a Vimeo-lovin, HTML-savvy sorta gal?

The swell of David Bowies Heroes, reworked by 2 Many DJs, the pattern puzzles that were Dries classicisms and the freedom of the clash of textures and prints in the pieces all came flooding back. I take Dries for granted for its on-form consistency sometimes but a printed package like this is a potent reminder of a collection that impacted without making a scream.