Dries Van Noten steps back from his eponymous brand, concluding a dazzling 38-year career

Belgian fashion designer Dries Van Noten is ready to pass on the reins of his brand to a successor, according to the latest reports from WWD.

This announcement marks the conclusion of a nearly 40-year career in the fashion industry for the talented designer. His final show will debut in June at Paris Men’s Fashion Week.

Meanwhile, the search for the brand’s future creative director has been underway for several months. “The designer chosen to continue our story will be announced at the appropriate time,” revealed Van Noten. “I have prepared for this moment for a long time, and I feel it’s time to make way for a new generation of talent to bring their vision to the brand.”

This news has sent shockwaves through the fashion community, although the brand’s transition has been anticipated since 2018 when the Puig group acquired a majority stake in the brand. However, this announcement marks the true end of a glorious era in the fashion industry.

According to WWD’s investigation, Van Noten’s potential successor could be a member of Tod’s, Bally, Alexander McQueen, or Moschino. The first collection without the brand’s founder’s involvement will be created by the design team that has collaborated with Van Noten for many years.

However, the designer will retain the position of chairman of the board of the fashion house: “I will still be associated with the house that I deeply love.”

Dries Van Noten’s career has been lauded by many over the years. His designs were showcased at the Decorative Arts Museum in Paris in 2014, reflecting the influence of pop culture and art in fashion designs. Last year, he received the WWD Honor award for Designer of the Year, and prior to that, in 2008, he was awarded the CFDA International Designer of the Year.

Van Noten has been praised by The New York Times as “one of the most intellectual designers in the fashion industry.” His career began in the 1980s at the Antwerp University, where he graduated in fashion design alongside Walter Van Beirendonck, Ann Demeulemeester, Dirk Van Saene, Dirk Bikkembergs, and Marina Yee, a group later known as the Antwerp Six.

He founded his eponymous brand in 1985, debuting at Paris Fashion Week in 1991. Over the years, his designs have seamlessly combined advanced technology and meticulous craftsmanship.

Notably, the designer does not use media to promote his work. “My brand is currently flourishing. Like tending to a garden, you decide what to plant, and eventually, it continues to bloom,” Van Noten shared with WWD.

“When I see our designs present all over the world, I know that we have carved a place in the lives of fashion enthusiasts. I am certain of this: the future of DVN still shines brightly.”