'RIOJA' Op-Art Coat © Stany Dederen

For his Spring/Summer 2009 collection, Dries Van Noten began with the idea of Parisian nonchalance and the flair of French musician Serge Gainsbourg. This resulted in what seemed to be a tabula rasa: a collection far removed from Van Noten’s signature flower prints and ethnic- inspired fabrics. Instead, he presented an admiration for the fine arts and, in particular, an imagined conversation between abstract expressionist Mark Rothko and Op-Art artist Victor Vasarely. This outfit, with complimentary graphic grids in both black and gold and blue and white, referenced the optical illusions and geometrical shapes prominent in the work of Victor Vasarely.