Do you think Marilyn Monroe and Salvador Dali are hanging out together in heaven? Are they having lengthy discussions about the rise and fall of stardom? Or the inevitable madness it might bring to some? If they were hanging around together they would, no doubt, have approved of the Dries Van Noten SS16 menswear show during London Fashion Week Men’s.
Male models showcased garments with Marilyn Monroe’s gorgeous, pouting face and enviable figure printed onto silken suits, button-down shirts, roomy boxer shorts and capes. Dali made a few spontaneous appearances in the form of a lobster motif, with the crustacean embellished in ruby red sequins on a shirt or crawling across loosely-knitted sweaters. A sheer shirt with Marilyn “kissing” the male model’s chiseled torso was a stand-out piece and encapsulated the light, fun mood of the collection. The lavish fabrics combined with silhouettes that were loose and slouchy gave the runway a sort of liberating atmosphere and the effect was almost hypnotic. Just like the iconography of Marilyn herself.
Though the print is often bold, loud and demanding for attention, Dries Van Noten keeps it classy and low-key with monochromatic and muted sepia prints. Palm tree prints remind us of the Hollywood hills while sequins and glittering embellishments on the dark garments mirror the glitz and glamour surrounding the days of Monroe’s prime. But at the same time the palette is dark and moody, seemingly hinting at the downsides and bouts of melancholy that can come with fame.
A tribute to two iconic artists, the collection is opulent, romantic and rich. Even though Dries Van Noten looks back into the past for inspiration, he keeps it modern as we are a generation where everyone wants to be famous, wants to be an icon—hungry to be immortalized forever.