Dries Van Noten F/W 08.09 Paris

[wheneveriwakeup]

Stunning details...
The creative manner in which the jewelry is my favorite aspect...

 

[2Nova]

hmm... a bit much going a tad crazy w/ the patterns i am really undecided on this

 

[gomtik]

I adore this collection, it was a perfect transition into autumn from his spring collection. I'm not sure if there were many particular pieces that I loved as much as the feel of the collection. I think the styling was genius, it is not easy making so many different patterns and textures look so effortless and chic together. Very well done!

 

[baddabling]

not feeling it...
very marni/prada FW07

 

[Mia S-M]

I appreciate the way he put colors together, such a lovely combination

 

[cocosofia]

i am in love with the prints and the purple skirts...oh and the shoes are growing on me the more i look at them.

 

[Snow-White]

such simple bags :love:
Dries Van Noten has very stringent quality control..

 

[a_brightspot]

i love the necklaces made out of bracelets.
really chunky, in sort of a good way.

that looks like an easy diy

 

[Andrea.RL]

I absolutly love the dress in #80 (the short sleeve one...)

 

[luckyme]

this is this story in the lookbook...

The following are some notes prepared by the designer…

“Orbis Wirth was a Swiss born inventor of whom little is know.

In 1920s he invented a revolutionary fabric printing technique that allowed for the simultaneous laying of an infinite amount of colour onto fabrics of many qualities, long before the inkjet techniques of today rendered this a common occurrence.

The unique unstable process involved the mounting of many layers of fragile wax imbued with vivid pigments onto a wide metal cylinder. Once these heavy cylinders were rolled over wet fabrics the pigments were transferred almost in a precise form of smudging. No two meters of printed fabric were alike. Each roll was exhausted after a very limited amount of meters were printed.

The result was a marble-like print of real and exaggerated proportions, often blurred yet mostly astonishingly fine and sharp, with seemingly endless flashes of colours. An often psychedelic quality of the vivacity of the motifs and the acidity of the colours used often trick the eye of today into thinking that these fabrics date from the 1960s rather than their original period.

The technique quickly became considered as unreliable given that each wax cylinder could only be used once and it was also impossible to repeat an exact pattern. It was for this reason it ceased to be utilized and had long since been forgotten.

ORBIS WITH THE JAKOB SCHLAEFPER COMPANY

At the beginning of the 1980’s, the world renowned Swiss fabric company Jakob Schlaepfer researched Orbis’ technique and recreated the wax pigment cylinders as he had done fifty years previously. They used some of his motifs in their original colour ways as well as creating a few new print designs of their own. Again the difficulties inherent in the technique and its almost exorbitant cost made it almost impossible that they continue their experiment and so production was abruptly ceased. A few wax rolls remained and were stowed away with no use in sight.



DRIES VAN NOTEN WITH ORBIS
& THE JAKOB SCHLAEPFER COMPANY

In early 2007, in Lyon, France, a member of the Dries Van Noten design team was perusing a book archive on fabric printing techniques for inspiration. He happened upon a book dating from the 1930s that described and depicted Orbis’ technique, it even included swatches of the original fabrics. On his return to Antwerp his find was quickly presented to Dries Van Noten and immediately Orbis; work struck a resonant chord. We needed to find a way of continuing this fascination work.

Some detective work ensued and the Dries Van Noten design team were quite quickly lead to the Jakob Schlaepfer Co., their archives and that stock room. Those last wax cylinders were found.

In collaboration with Dries Van Noten, Schlaepfer printed up the last meters of these Orbis prints possible using those last few remaining wax rolls, creating, what would become, limited edition, exclusive pieces within the Dries Van Noten Autumn Winter 2008/09 collection.

In continuation of and as an homage to Orbis’ original work Dries Van Noten also created new print designs inspired by the original fabric swatches from the 30’s printed in the modern inkjet technique.”

 

[Joanna2]

^ fascinating story.

 

[skot4mc]

thanks luckyme, interesting inspiration! i never would have identified that as a reference from seeing the collection, i didn't even know the Orbis technique existed.

gius will love this!

this just highlights the amount of work and development that goes into producing fashion at this level, truly brilliant.

has anyone seen the limited edition pieces in person? I wonder if it's easy to tell the original Orbis prints from the inkjet prints?

 

[belle123]

Wow is all I can say. I wish I could design like that.

 

[lmelanie]

i really want the strappy multi sandals...does anyone know anywhere they are still available?