Julian Klausner Has Lifted the Curtain on His Vision for Dries Van Noten
The time has come for the Antwerp-born designer to prove his skill. Has he succeeded?
Belgian designer Dries Van Noten stepped down from his namesake label in June 2024, showcasing his 150th and final collection at Paris Fashion Week. His successor was announced just months later: trusted in-house designer Julian Klausner. The time has come for the Antwerp-born designer to prove his skill as a leader of the fashion House, presenting his Fall/Winter 2025 collection at the Parisian opera house Palais Garnier.
The historic venue perfectly reflected Klausner’s ambition and respectful tribute to Dries Van Noten. Guests walked up flights of marble steps in pure excitement, glancing up to see gold-trimmed fixtures, decadent chandeliers, and 17th-century murals representing Paris’ unmatched artistry.
“Here, I imagined women passing through the opera, grabbing fabrics and objects, tying them with a shoelace while on a quest to find the answer to an unknown question. Behind the curtain, where creation and practice happen,” the designer says. Klausner has lifted the curtain on his vision for Dries Van Noten, leaving crowds in awe of his creative mastery. Klausner balanced past and present through a masterful lens in tribute to the brand’s extensive legacy.
A floor-length wool coat with exposed and dangling stitches marked the first look, followed by structured outerwear, capes, and silk tops in dim-lit hues. Dries Van Noten’s signature bold patterns were toned down in muted stripes, while refined and exotic leather belts pulled together minimalistic tailoring. Villainous coats and layered mini skirts arrived in a mash-up of prints and patterns, making it clear that Klausner will honor the past while keeping his sights set on the future. Gold-trimmed knitwear walked elegantly like newly-found treasure, transitioning into a burnt orange in look 21. Fuscia, green, blue, and purple brightened the collection step by step, drowning draped silk gowns, skin-tight suits, and tasseled jackets with ancient energy. Klausner took his final bow to a crowd raving with applause, beaming with pride at his marvelous success.
Take a closer look at Julian Klausner’s first collection for Dries Van Noten in the gallery above.
