Last June we witnessed with teary eyes how the legendary Dries Van Noten presented his last collection at the head of his very own brand, a show that served as a bittersweet goodbye to one of the greatest designers of the last decades and a celebration of his creative legacy that we all desired to be everlasting but that we were uncertain about its future. With the last Spring/Summer 2025 collection designed by the team that has always shared the hard task of creation with him, all our worries vanished with a showcase of taste and talent that made evident how well the alumni learnt from the master. Now one of those pupils, Julian Klausner, is taking the lead as the new Creative Director of the brand.
With a video where we jump from the lights from the disco ball present on Dries final show to the busy reality of the backstage, we get the first images of the new Creative Director, Julian Klausner, taking care of the final touch ups and details on the garments before sending the models to the runway while Dries says in voice-over, "I was trying to do everything by myself; I need a young team to take over and make their vision of what Dries Van Noten is standing for," a goal that will be fulfilled by the 33-year-old Belgian designer that has worked with him on the women’s collection for six years.
“The incomparable legacy that Dries is leaving behind is monumental, serving as an endless source of precious inspiration.” Klausner says as his first words on his new position, while also making clear how his approach will be at the helm of the house: "The last thing I want to do is imitate Dries; I want to push it forward and do something new out of it," a promising statement that we can't wait to see materialized. “I have complete confidence in Julian’s creativity and vision. He is not only a talented designer but also a clear choice to take over after my departure,” says Van Noten, and if Dries trusts him this firmly, so do we.