Just clothes

Dries Van Noten has long been one of my favorites, but it wasn't until this year that I really began to appreciate his unique position. Like Margaret Howell, he runs one of the few independent fashion houses in the industry. He doesn't advertise. His clothes aren't particularly trendy. He doesn't have a mass-market fragrance (although he does have a "portrait" by Frederic Malle) or a Luxottica-produced line of sunglasses. What he does produce is a fantastic line of clothes. Sure, they're wicked pricey, but they're also arrestingly beautiful. As lovely and satisfying as anything out there. This season in particular, he pulled out all the stops. View the menswear here and the womenswear here.