Julian Klausner was thinking surfers for spring, “the beach, the waves, and being in sync with nature and the sunset,” but what came out on the runway was so much more than that.
Models floated out like a school of exotic sea creatures flashing colors like lemon, lime, tangerine and bright green. Some wore sheer, printed caftans with colored sequins dripping down the front, while others showed off swingy shifts edged with rhinestone clusters, meant to mimic the shimmer of the water.
“I love this idea of how a show or a collection can bring an optimism or a sense of joy. Very early on, we thought of surfing. It’s so simple — it happens every day — but then it’s also so majestic, inspiring and energizing,” he said.
The collection, as always, was full of zingy color combinations — and contrast. Klausner paired two-tone tailored jackets with long, diaphanous skirts, and gave boyish knee-length olive shorts a Victorian grandma vibe, with beaded black embroidery.
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A sculptural wool top with strong shoulders was the love child of a scuba suit and a T-shirt. “I think it’s so beautiful and so elegant, how a wetsuit hugs the body,” he said. Klausner paired it with a long diaphanous skirt, giving the whole look a couture edge.
He wanted to create “accessible, beautiful” wardrobe staples, and what building blocks these were, fluid jersey tops with thick ruffles around the shoulders, and a lineup of military-style coats and jackets with Sgt. Pepper’s flair. Some stretched down to the ankles while others glowed with contrasting color: canary yellow wool and midnight velvet, and Delft blue, cream and burgundy.
Klausner added even more color in the form of slim sneakers. Coming in a rainbow of shades, they added an extra jolt of energy, and sense of freedom, to the distinctive Dries Van Noten wardrobe.