A stylish, in-the-know crowd filled the Espace de Commines on a sunlit afternoon for the German-born, Antwerp alum Bernhard Willhelm’s Fall/Winter 2009 show. The show started with an auctioneer at the block blasting over the speakers, but the references were vague. Perhaps it was corporatism, or was it our perpetual financial worries?

In any case, the plaids, holey argyle knits and random accessories like a model with a dollar bill glued to her forehead was madcap revelry. There were also pennants attached to industrial rope and brightly colored hoods with sheer pieces at the ears. The standouts were Willhelm’s trademark plaids, draped and slung into casual dresses and a sheer dress-length hooded cape with rainbow dip-dye stripes at the hem, but he also stayed largely within the realm of what he has done before. Perfect pieces for his already admiring fans, but perhaps that was the point as well. By Bee-Shyuan Chang. Photos by Ronen Shapiro