Brand: Dries Van Noten
Season: Fall/Winter 2021
Buy: SSENSE
Editor's Notes: Dries Van Noten's new footwear takes cozy-core to the max.
The Belgian designer, known for his green thumb, rides the "mulement" into winter with a range of pillow-like loafers and mules.
Made of padded leather, the loafers feature a soft, elasticized collar that gives the shoe an easy, unstructured feel, while the slipper-like mules are made of less dressy padded nylon, finished off with a spiky Vibram outsole.
The ultra-casual slip-ons also feature a cushy insole, rendering the shoes a sort of sleeping bag for your feet.
We might be past the height of the pandemic, but WFH-friendly footwear isn't going anywhere. By now, it's clear that Crocs — the epitome of comfort — are experience a renaissance, thanks to a plethora of big-name collaborations with the likes of Justin Bieber, Diplo and Balenciaga.
Birkenstocks have experienced a similar spike in demand during the pandemic, boasting team-ups with Proenza Schouler, Stüssy, and Rick Owens.
The rest of Dries' FW21 wares are similarly comfortable. Stone-washed jeans are cut with a boxy, relaxed fit, and French terry sweatshirts pair nicely with heavyweight lounge pants. The designer even makes a rare foray into hoodies — specifically, pullovers printed with zodiac charts.
Enjoy your comfy fashion while it lasts, though. As evidenced by Fashion Month, coming to a close next week, Spring/Summer 2022 is seeing a Roaring '20s-esque revival of revelry-ready wares.
Versace and Fendi's "Gucciaga 2.0" was full of slinky, sparkly party dresses, and Kim Shui embraced all things sexy with body-hugging, cut-out dresses and ass-less chaps made of embroidered silk.
So: hang onto sweatpants, mules, and slip-ons while you can.
