Dries Van Noten Belgian fashion designer is stepping down as creative director
Belgian fashion luminary Dries Van Noten has revealed his decision to step down from his role as the creative force behind his eponymous fashion label this summer.
At the age of 65, Van Noten is poised to conclude his tenure following the forthcoming Paris Fashion Week menswear showcase slated for June.
Renowned for his opulent palettes and boundary-pushing designs, Van Noten rose to prominence as a member of the esteemed Antwerp Six, a collective of visionary designers who honed their craft at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp during the 1980s. Among his contemporaries were notable figures such as Walter Van Beirendonck and Ann Demeulemeester.
Reflecting on his illustrious career, Van Noten expressed gratitude, stating, "It has been a dream come true." He further articulated his intention to redirect his energy towards pursuits previously sidelined. "I want to shift my focus to all the things I never had time for. I'm saddened by this transition, yet simultaneously filled with contentment," he remarked in a statement.
He won the international designer of the year award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America in 2008 and celebrated his 100th fashion show in 2017 with a blockbuster event for which models including Alek Wek, Liya Kebede, and Nadja Auermann came out of runway retirement to appear again.
“My joy is to create a garment that fuses and balances beauty, craft, and function,” Van Noten said in an interview on his website. I enjoy juggling with colours, textures, and light in a way that evokes rather than provokes.”
His latest women'swear collection, presented this month in Paris, was lauded for bringing a note of colour and excitement to everyday items. The fashion site WWD described it as “audacious everyday," a counterpoint to the recent trend for “quiet luxury.”.
Van Noten sold a majority stake in his label to the Spanish conglomerate Puig in 2018, but remained chair of the board and creative director.
The brand has added beauty and perfume lines and expanded into e-commerce since Puig’s takeover.
Van Noten finished his letter by thanking his clients and fans.
“Seeing our clothes out in the world... has fulfilled me beyond words,” he