The Fashion Plate Magazine

Belgian designer Dries Van Noten has announced the publication of two books that document and capture the spirit of his fall/winter 16 collections, one each for womenswear and menswear.

The womenswear edition includes illustrations by British artist Gill Button, who interprets the silhouettes and luxurious fabrics — velvets and faux furs — as well as Van Noten’s vision for the collection.

The designer was inspired by the torrid relationship between the Italian heiress, muse, and iconic haute couture fan, Marchesa Luisa Casati, and by the author Gabriele D’Annunzio. Marchesa Luisa Casati was a femme fetale in the truest sense, Casati was famed for keeping pet cheetahs, her patronage of the Ballet Russes, and for draping dozens of necklaces—and sometimes even live snakes—around her bare neck.

The book for the menswear show documents Dries’ landmark presentation at the Paris Opera Garnier, a setting the designer says he had wished for for seventeen years. Images of Dries’ ‘peacock peaceniks’ captured by both professional photographers and guests on their social media accounts are included in the book.

Both books come embossed with the designer’s name in gold and are available for a limited time only in select Dries Van Noten stores.

Credits: Book covers and runway photos courtesy Dries Van Notes