The Runway Sniper #65

Below: Dries Van Noten's take on Skinhead and mod styles for his Spring Summer 2011 Menswear collection... The looks border on grunge and refined mens tailoring...

Below: Snow washed denim are the rage in this new collection. It's everywhere in denim vests, jackets, jeans and shirts...

Below: There is somewhat a sense of refinement contrasted against the hard edge 'grunge' looking denim...

Below: Besides acid wash, hand painted watercolour blotches by a couture atelier reinforces Dries Van Noten's refined aesthetics and artisanal crafting. Never just some 'rumble and tumble' uncouth treatments...even for 'Jackson Pollock lookalike' splatter...

Below: Love the grey cardigan with the untreated tan leather belt on the side...

Below: Skinheads in Mr Dries mind looked less 'hard edge' and more 'polished'... double breasted jackets are often contrasted with shorts and boots...

Below: I really like the tweed like material on this suit. It's actually a nylon/cotton blend that's lighter...

Below: Club 21 buyers' insider look from the Dries Van Noten showroom... one of them trying on the snow washed denim shirt... yay or nay? Looking promising to me...

Below: Window pane checks worthy of savile row are also key accents to the collection...

Below: Knotted slim belt look with that gorgeous 'tweed' looking fabric...

Below: Fans of scarves can have an 'orgasm' now...:-P

Dries Van Noten Spring Summer 2011 Menswear

Do I ever see Mr Dries Van Noten into grunge, skin heads and fifties mod style? Highly unlikely, unless some mid life crisis takes over and one decides he wants to shave his head and ride a Harley at age 52.

Well, in fashion, you never say never. That is exactly what Mr Dries Van Noten send out for his Spring Summer 2011 Menswear runway... snow wash denim, paint splatter patterns (watercolour blotches hand-painted by a couture atelier in Lake Como), biker/military style boots and closely shaved heads. I guess being always a 'romantic' at heart (evident in his collections' refined flair and ethnic inspired fame), Dries makes his interpretation of 'grunge' and 'rough', albeit in a very 'gentlemenly' way. The snow washed denim pieces often juxtaposed with classic tailoring (think double breasted jackets and tailored shorts), window pane checks (worthy of savile row) and tactile choice of tweed-like fabrics (which is actually nylon/cotton blend), Dries Van Noten's grunge man is never a slop. He's a refined skinhead who embraces his softer side and can be as chivalrous as any cultured man does.

I am not entirely convinced about this direction of Dries Van Noten. But as in all his collections, it's the details that matters. The looks may be half way between hard edge and refinement, some of the accessories such as those slim untreated tan leather belts, tan coloured bags and charming fabrics will still beckon out to fans any day. The snow washed denim shirt, as does the window pane checks scarves, are suddenly looking promising afterall (all those showroom shots by Club 21's buyers brings new light to the collection!).

Source: Style, Sonny Photos, Club 21 Facebook