Dries van Noten AFP

» Hout Bay snoek kedgeree

» Marinated mint pork chops

» Fine wine in Franschhoek

» ADVENTURE

» 7 marathons in 7 countries in 7 days

» Design your own US president

» SA Fashion Week day 2

» Day one Sanlam Fashion week

» Sanlam SA Fashion Week

» Boost your breasts

Today, 20 April 2008

Yesterday, 19 April 2008

With cool winter elegance on offer at Rochas and Dries Van Noten's quietly sumptuous take on womanly style, Belgium showed off the power of its design talent here on Wednesday.

Olivier Theyskens kicked off his Rochas ready-to-wear collection for autumn-winter 2006-07 with smart, practical chic. Sober pant suits were followed by narrow trousers — being seen a lot on the Paris catwalks —' midi-shorts or a little, fitted dress.

Predominantly in black and white, in thick fabrics and worn with long boots, with headbands holding back the models' thick, long hair, the look had a passing 1960s appeal. But it soon gave way to delicate nuances of light grey.

However, think Theyskens, think evening wear. And the young Brussels-born designer, who is not yet 30 and has a couture spirit, sent out an array of mature gowns whose skirts flew out from the thigh at varying degrees.

Or he whirled light frills around the skirts of dresses which were held in place as if captured in mid-motion, while for contrast a sober black number just had little discs suspended from it.

Italian designer Ricardo Tisci played with volume for his sweaters at Givenchy, pumping up the sleeves in waves that had a knock-on effect for the voluminous rolled collars.

But he also gave emphasis to the waist, placing it high on dresses which had pockets at chest-level, or he paired high-waisted trousers with a white blouse embroidered in red.

A velvet collar finished off a silk chiffon dress. For Tisci, like Croatian designer Ivana Omazic who unveils her collection for Celine on Thursday, this was his second ready-to-wear show.

Ricardo Tisci for Givenchy

Belgian designer Dries Van Noten does not go in for in-your-face glamour.

But neither is it subdued. His clothes for next winter are for the more discreet woman with a taste for quietly sumptuous luxury in rich fabrics, artistic patterns and beautiful cuts.

When the black curtains were dramatically raised on his winter 2006 show at Paris' Fine Arts School to reveal a runway covered in gold leaf, the appreciative audience already had a strong inkling of what was to come.

Thick swathes of gold embroidery ran around the bottom of a dress or up coat sleeves. Far from brash, it had a majestic grandeur. The patterns in the midnight blue and black fabric also had a regal allure.

Fluid shapes were adorned with attractive ties as fastenings on the breast. Plain loose jackets and cropped trousers had an unfussy sophistication suitable for smart everyday wear.

In contrast to the brocade, thick fabrics and embroidery, a sober black dress stood out for its stunning simplicity with sleeves and body puffed with such subtlety, it seemed a mere suggestion.

AFP