Paris fashion: Rochas' cool elegance, sumptuous Van Noten

0 Comments | AFP, March, 2006

PARIS (AFP) — 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.

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...