Designer Dries Van Noten Steps Down From His Fashion Brand
One of the worldâs most beloved fashion figures announced Tuesday that heâs stepping down from his eponymous brand. Belgian designer Dries Van Noten, 65, made the announcement in a letter sent to friends of the label.
âIn the early 80âs, as a young guy in Antwerp, my dream was to have a voice in fashion,â Van Noten wrote. âThrough a journey that brought me to London, Paris ⊠that dream has come true. Now I want to shift my focus to all the things I never had time for.â This means his exceptionally well-reviewed fall 2024 womenâs collection, shown in Paris weeks ago, will be his last. His fall menswear show in June 2024 is his official finale.
The uniquely Dries look â dubbed âaudacious everydayâ by WWD â combined Boho flowy fits with avant-garde prints. Singularly stylish Cate Blanchett donned Dries on the carpet many times. As did Maggie Gyllenhaal, including at the 2010 Oscars, and Florence Pugh, fervently posing up a storm in a ruffled Dries fuchsia gown to the 2020 BAFTAs. Nicole Kidman, Margot Robbie, Michelle Obama, Carey Mulligan and Anna Wintour have all had memorable Dries moments. Kirsten Dunst recently donned one watercolor print to a charity event.
Van Noten grew up in Antwerp, attending the prestigious Antwerp Royal Academy. He began menswear in 1986, founding his womenâs line in 1988, owning his brand independently for three decades â rare for any designer, particularly one enamored of detailed florals and embroidery. Six years ago, a majority stake was acquired by Spanish giant Puig, owner of Carolina Herrera, Jean Paul Gaultier and Charlotte Tilbury cosmetics.
Florence Pugh, wearing Dries Van Noten, attends the after-show party for the 73rd British Academy Film Awards in 2020.
Matt Crossick/PA Images/Getty Images
A 2014 major Paris retrospective at the MusĂ©e des Art DĂ©coratif matched Driesâ detailed clothing with the books, music and works of art that inspired each. When well-wishers descended, the shy soft-spoken Dries whispered, dashing out a back entrance: âIâm just too shy for these accolades.â
While Van Noten will no longer be the creative director of the house, he will continue to be involved in an unspecific role.
âSeeing our clothes out in the world,â he signed the heartfelt goodbye letter, âhas fulfilled me beyond words.â No doubt, that pastel-chocked fall womenâs collection will be pounced on when it hits the stores this summer.
Cate Blanchett, wearing Dries Van Noten, at the âStatelessâ premiere during the 70th Berlinale International Film Festival Berlin at Zoo Palast on Feb. 26, 2020, in Berlin, Germany.
Andreas Rentz/Getty Images
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