The Dries Van Noten show took place in a seemingly endless tunnel bathed in red light under a railway line on the périphérique. The relentless drums of Iggy Pop’s 1977 seminal hit Lust For Life looped hypnotically as three to four boys walked the runway at the same time, marching in heavy leather shoes and boots.

There was a feeling of change in the air, as embellishment was replaced with a focus on new volumes. Wide-shouldered, impeccable overcoats evoked the post-punk scene of the late 70s and 80s, who chose tailoring as their rebellious uniform. The British Mods were brought to mind with the jeans worn with said overcoats, and the surprising, yet touching, homage to the British fabric mills worn as coats of arms.

It turned out that the venue was of historical importance, as Van Noten had shown his fall 1993 menswear and fall 1996 womenswear collections here. This was far from nostalgia, but rather a look backward to move forward; honoring the forgotten mills, and reminding us that he was a master of form.