On Wednesday, Belgian designer Dries Van Noten and French designer Christian Lacroix presented a “fantastical bromance” in the form on a spring 2020 collection. The collab happened in secret, with the designers working together for five months until Van Noten's show yesterday. According to WWD, “in thinking about his collection, Dries Van Noten found himself drawn to the Eighties and Nineties, ‘to a love of dressing up, to couture, to beauty, to audacity — to joy,’ he wrote in press notes. ‘I quickly realized that all roads seemed to lead to the work and world — of Mr. Christian Lacroix.’ Van Noten thus picked up the phone. “Bonjour, Christian?”
And what materialised on the runway afterward was tons of bright colours and zebra print, flouncy flamenco skirts, bubble sleeves, polka dots, fuchsia, rich brocades, and taffeta. It was over-the-top and abundant just as Lacroix likes it. But the pieces also were a nod to Van Noten's idea of beautiful separates. Everything was layered over white jeans and white tanks: Van Noten’s ’90s Antwerp Six–era styling trick of wearing dresses over trousers.
The collection wasn't just beautiful to look at, it was a testament to the beauty of collaboration with both designers are at the top of their game.