Shown under a canopy of tiny fairy lights, Van Noten’s collection was hugely feminine and adorned with everything from sequined edges and ruffled hems to floral appliqué. As always, the clothes had a subtle ethnic flavor—Chinese floral-print jackets, tops that wrap like kimonos, and sari embroidery on lush, long scarves. But this season the designer also did a little time traveling. Flapper coats and twinkling capelets had a distinctively ’20s feel; drapey layers (homey shawls over coats over sweaters over long skirts) would not have been out of place at an ERA rally; and fur tippets brought to mind the sort of 1940s lady who wouldn’t dream of leaving the house without gloves. Everything had a well-loved feel, like a beautiful old couture piece rediscovered in a closet and worn with a striped cotton pajama top or a deliciously nubby sweater.

Backstage after the show, Van Noten said he’d been going for a dreamy mood. “You can think about fashion and try to figure out what’s hip, but I don’t think it’s a time for that right now,” he said. “I just wanted to do something beautiful, to create a fairy-tale collection.” In that he certainly succeeded.

– Jenny Comita