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October 7, 2004
Dinner with Dries
by Antonia Leslie

We all tumbled out of Paris to see the 50th show of Dries Van Noten in a dark industrial space with a bar made of palettes.Suddenly we moved towards the distant glow of 130 chandeliers,suspended over a long table beautifully laid for 500.Later 250 waiters appeared with bottles in their own fashion showat the sides of the table.Delicious food served in a paper cloud and the drifting question, is the table a catwalk?Yes.The first look arrived all white, nipped waist and full skirt, rather 50's, to Ravel's Bollero (a little too serious).White changed to subtle shadow prints and on to the the full Dries embroidery and jacquard.The finale,an electric shelf sent the signed book from the ceiling to eye level.Not over yet,deserts and drinks party.We left to Led Zeppelin's Kashmir.Wonderful!

Dries Van Noten