Runway: Dries Van Noten S/S22

Greetings from Antwerp!

Soundtracked by Primal Scream’s, Loaded, Dries brought forth raucous energy for Spring/Summer 2022 menswear, an ode to those reemerging from their homes after multiple periods of lockdown (showcased in a beautifully shot video).

“We want to be free to do what we want to do!... And we want to get loaded! And we want to have a good time! And that’s what we’re gonna do!”

Familiar landmarks and rekindled busy public spaces serve as backdrops, from dawn to dusk, with composed looks that augment the scenery and time of day. Dries equips his home city of Antwerp with clothing to go out and get loaded in. Each shot invokes feelings of freedom, uninhibited movement, and a renewed sense of wonder within a familiar place. He does not mean to pigeonhole the collection to one location - its prevailing themes are geographically agnostic, meant to be felt on a global scale.

These pieces are gender non-conforming, only heightening the electric sense of freedom. Overly long, tailored suiting and loungewear find their way onto bodies of all identifications. When asked his thoughts about it all, Dries had this to offer:

“What is menswear? What is womenswear? Just throw it all together and take what you like.”

Dries and his team had fun developing this latest collection, and while doing so, broke down the concept of dichotomous gender normativity. The lines aren’t just blurred - they are actively redefined. What was once separate has become one. Dries is asking, Who really cares? We’ve spent the last year plus locked in an existential wrestling match with our own mortality. They're just clothes. And damn does it feel good to wear them out.

Much of the collection is intentionally oversized and overlong, with recognizable silhouettes that are designed to look almost-but-not-quite familiar. It’s as if we’ve just woken up after a dream and are carrying the vestiges of dreamland along with us, our perception (the clothing in this example) still a bit weird and warped. Many pieces showcase a sense of ruggedness and preparedness, providing utility and camouflage, others, like the feathers of a peacock, loud and proud, as we venture back out into this new world.

These are clothes that let the world know that their wearer is back, and is here to stay.