Paris Fashion Week: Dries Van Noten taps into festival style

Coachella-inspired festival style has made it all the way to the Paris runways.

Dries Van Noten’s spring show at Paris Fashion Week on Wednesday afternoon was a haute hippie extravaganza -- rainbow fringe, cannabis leaf motifs, bra tops and all.

A mossy catwalk carpet greeted guests at the venue in the Grand Palais. The tufted green was the handiwork of Buenos Aires-based visual artist Alexandra Kehayoglou, and woven entirely by hand over four weeks.

The artsy-craftsy fiber art piece was the perfect backdrop for these rich bohemian clothes. The instant the show began, not with music, but with the sound of tweet-tweeting birds, one was transported to the lazy days of summer. Every detail bolstered the effect: loungey layers, molded twig and root necklaces, and a jaw-droppingly gorgeous “summer fur” made of rainbow ribbons embroidered on organza, which looked as soft as caterpillar fuzz.

The inspiration: “Erudite pre-Raphaelite,” according to show notes, referring to the avant-garde art movement of the 1850s. But really, the look was free-spirit-gone-super-luxe for any time, eclectic and individual with an eye-popping mix of colors, prints, fabric effects and textures, including awning stripes, Bloomsbury-esque silk brocades, bandanna-like paisleys, fraying silk chiffon, sheer viscose and Lurex.

Key pieces: Asymmetric stripe dresses. Belted brocade jackets with glittery details. Fringe front tops. Mixed print coats and maxi skirts that were not too trippy to make the jump from runway to street. Drawstring surfer shorts and pajama pants. Bandeau tops layered over sheer shirts. Wedge sole sandals.

The verdict: A feast for the senses, even at the end. Rather than speed walking off the runway per usual, the models took a load off, settling down into the tufted moss and reminding us all to take a moment and enjoy.

Twitter: @booth1