Dries Van Noten 雜談 - 品牌

【本篇雜談是之前與某位在英國唸書的板友所分享的東西。
她問小的關於DVN設計的看法，原本打算直接全部寫英文，
怎奈程度太差，且時間有限，所以變成底下的mix-match，
由於小的生性懶散，加上之前答應巴版主要分享，所以就沒
全部改成漢文或是英文再呈上，傷害大家的眼睛與頭腦請見諒。
還請大家多多分享與對實質面的指正，因為對DVN其實不甚了解。
謹以此篇奇怪的文字組合作為2006年Brand版的小賀禮。謝謝】


Romantic Pragmatist: Dries Van Noten

The followings are my opinions about the DVN's ideas/styles of designing
in recent years, principally for men's r-t-w.

Dries Van Noten (hereinafter DVN) was born in a three-generations-old
family of tailors in Antwerp in 1958. He was running DVN's Antwerp boutique
in August, 1989. In 1991, his men's r-t-w was first displayed on the Paris
stage, and then the show turned a new page in his remarkable career.

Although DVN is one of the famous Antwerp Six, he doesn't follow the
pioneer - Martin Margiela - obviously. Belgium, comparably a small state
in Europe, is geographically located at the influx of various languages
and cultures, which has resulted in the sources of DVN's designing.
Perhaps this is why DVN insists on placing his site in Belgium instead of
Italy, France or New York and so on. Accordingly, DVN is melting the
followings into his designing: French romantic, nobly fancy mode,
German simply pragmatic style, English gracefully gentle urban trend
and the colors, black and white, well-known used by Antwerp Six.
This is what I called DVN as "Romantic Pragmatism".

DVN's success is resulted from the very clearance of the premise of
designing. Keeping the faith, he also adds enough varieties and a little
progressiveness to his works. Therefore, all his efforts make his style
differ from others, especially the recent embroidery accessories.
For example,
精細刺繡鑲嵌珍珠亮片大披巾與圍巾，民俗風的側背包與皮帶，
吸引目光卻不強調奢華感的亮色系高跟鞋。
（男裝也有很民俗風的圍巾與手套、帽子等）
且不同於一般的「二手使用感」，DVN利用些微磨損或不斷色染等處理手法
的「古董質感」皮質包包與相類配件，營造出他心中不斷嚮往的中世紀
(或是浪漫主義時期?)歐洲古堡典雅生活感，
此亦可從各地DVN boutique的設計陳設得到部分映證。(此點至少在台灣相當地明確)

DVN的服裝設計中規中矩，並不特別刻意地迎合市場，也不過分地前衛
而孤芳自賞、曲高和寡；其也不曾停滯不前或是掌握不住自己心中所要的時尚。
穩健與明確的設計主軸之外，DVN特殊之處在於：
秋冬偶用鮮豔色彩帶來浪漫的衝突，卻也依舊實穿；
亦常用石洗、作舊感，故意抓皺、弄鬆的手法，
將大部分秋冬出現的頹廢感主軸拉到春夏，仍保有春夏的輕鬆寫意氛圍。
加上看似樸實卻又隱含貴族華麗宮廷風的設計，
形成和諧中的衝突─特別是配件的設計部份，金銀亮色系的採用等，就是DVN的風格。

另一個設計的重點就是花朵(幾乎每季都會出現)，不同於其他男裝的花朵運用：
Versace vitally blooming luxurious shirt,
DG's Cecilia passionate flora shirt,
總是以超過五種花態樣組合的Kenzo東洋風花襯衫，
Paul Smith出奇不意或是高貴雅痞繽紛花朵設計；
DVN的花朵運用顯得內斂與恰到好處。看似不起眼，但穿著之後便會發現
花的主題性非常明確。(例如本季的主題就是花朵的運用，印象強烈卻不誇大)

DVN服裝在巧思之外，多半強調實用性，讓男性可以表達出時尚感卻又
不須選定特別時間場合才能穿著，urban middle-ground style可正式可休閒。
DVN另一特色就是剪裁/版型(cutting)。
喜用鬆垮無肩線/寬鬆版型來設計T、毛衣與休閒褲，
(但是襯衫多較為合身，且領片細節處的設計十分講究)
卻又不似Comme des Garcons或是Margiela那樣，
多運用立裁手法或是刻意製造的men must "fit" to the garment，
In contrast, "floppy but fit somehow". It's quite tricky,
as mentioned above. However, that is the very characteristic
what DVN's design is.

當然，每個品牌都有所謂的經典、基本款，或是暢銷熱賣的單品。
DVN男裝部分係其深色系直紋西裝與牛津鞋。
大地色系的牛津鞋穩重而典雅，鞋頭雕花設計與配上銀亮色系的牛津鞋，
更是DVN urban trendy的「註冊商標」之一。

Absolutely, it really counts that pros and cons are what we have
to consider when people evaluate the designer or brand. The under-standarded
texture/material is the obvious flaw DVN's garments presented.
Accordingly, some of his dresses could not be qualified with the
hi-standard requirements which are defined as the most famous brand
or designer's masterpiece. For example, almost all T-shirt s and
some sweaters' quality (please define the quality as broadly as you can)
might be not so good enough to fit people's expectation.
Especially, the focus of the shirt he addresses are often the cutting
and detailed design releasing his convention and creation i
nstead of excellent texture as Jil Sander or Dolce & Gabbana.
What is mentioned above is the pity I hope DVN can improve some day.
Concludingly, Dries Van Noten is a romantic pragmatist
standing out on the runway.


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瀟瀟風雨急如霜

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