Designer Dries Van Noten is exiting the fashion stage. The Belgian creator known for his colorful and bold range of apparel and accessories has said he’s going to step down from his role as creative director at his eponymous label.
His last show will be the fall 2024 men’s presentation this summer in Paris.
“My dream was to have a voice in fashion,” Van Noten said in a statement. “That dream came true. Now, I want to shift my focus to all the things I never had time for.”
The 65-year-old Van Noten said the question of who will succeed him will be decided in “due time.”
“I have been preparing for this moment for a while, and I feel it’s time to leave room for a new generation of talents to bring their vision to the brand,” he added. And although the designer is leaving his title behind, he’ll still be involved in the fashion brand’s operations behind the scenes.
Let’s go back: Born in 1958, the designer who came from a family of garment makers founded his first menswear collection in 1986. He has since achieved critical acclaim for his avant garde creations.
While he maintained independence, he sold a majority stake in his brand to Spanish fashion group Puig in 2018 while staying on as creative director.
The label has since expanded into beauty and perfume, and since the Puig acquisition, “the brand is now blooming,” Van Noten said. “Like in a garden, you decide what to plant; and at some point, it continues to flourish,” he said.
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