Build Your (Beauty) Capsule Wardrobe with Dries Van Noten
September 10 | 3 minute read
Words by Lisa Marie Corso
The not-so-secret rule of building a capsule wardrobe is having one really, really nice thing – instead of several things that wish they were really, really nice. The same rule applies for beauty.
It’s a pared-back approach, with a streamlined edit of chic essentials that seamlessly work together, but also stand out alone. In beauty terms, it’s the timeless staples you wear again and again; seasonal fragrances, a lipstick for day and night, and the stylish beauty bag you never leave the house without. So, it’s no surprise fashion-turned-beauty brand Dries Van Noten is the quintessential capsuling brand.
Dries Van Noten launched his eponymous fashion label in 1986, and with it came a glorious mashup of unexpected prints, colours and textures (think leopard print with floral). In 2022, the Belgian designer entered the beauty world and brought his luxury aesthetic from the runway to our makeup bags.
A lipstick for day and night
The first rule of capsuling is that less is more, which means we’ll be sticking to two Dries Van Noten lipstick shades – one for daytime and one for night-time. Our AM persona reaches for this reliable sheer nude that we can wear everywhere and with everything.
For night, there’s really only one shade that can take us from date to dance floor: red, and we’ll be swiping this one every time.
Now we’ve chosen our shades, it’s time to choose our refillable case inspired by archival Dries Van Noten prints – think of it as prêt à porter for your lipstick. Not only is a bold Dries Van Noten lipstick almost impossible to lose in the bottom of your bag, but it’ll also nourish your lips with a blend of rosehip oil and mango butter.
A fragrance for every season
In the fashion world, the year is appropriately divided into two: A/W and S/S. We’ll be following suit with our Dries Van Noten beauty capsule when it comes to fragrance.
Autumn/winter calls for something a little moody, and we’ll be spritzing Voodoo Chile EDP for its woody rosemary-and-patchouli scent while we check our weather app. We’ll also be dousing ourselves with Soie Malaquais EDP, which bottles two winter hallmarks: chestnut and cocoa.
In spring and summer, we’ll be swapping to sweet and refreshing scents inspired by Dries Van Noten’s Antwerp garden – giving us the best of the floral season, minus the hay fever. High on rotation? The zesty Jardin de l'Orangerie EDP, minty fresh Neon Garden EDP and Raving Rose EDP with its blend of pink peppercorn and rosewater.
The ‘trench coat’ of hand creams
Consider this Dries Van Noten hand cream your trench coat equivalent – it’s transeasonal, goes with everything, and you won’t leave the house without it.
We’ve already upgraded the scrunched up tube in the bottom of our bag for this one, which is scented with bergamot and blackcurrant – and already making our extremely dry hands feel seriously soft again.
The makeup bag that completes the outfit
This is the one carry-all beauty pouch you need to complete your beauty capsule – it’s sleek, durable and compact. You can toss it in your gym bag or take it to the office – but it’s honestly so chic we might just have it looped around our wrists permanently.
And the finishing touch? A Dries Van Noten silk scarf as the antidote to bad hair days, where no dry shampoo will save us and only a luxurious hair wrap will do.
