Julian Klausner’s Dries Van Noten Debut Was a Treat For the Senses

When Dries Van Noten announced he was retiring in June of last year, the fashion world was understandably both surprised and devastated. Through almost 40 years (and many ups and downs within the industry and the world) at the helm of his namesake brand, Van Noten never wavered in his pursuit of genuine authenticity and raw creativity. He drew up trends instead of following them and kept fashion feeling fun and experimental, collection after collection.

Fortunately for fans of the brand, Van Noten’s successor comes from inside the business, having spent six years at the Belgian label learning from its founder himself. Julian Klausner was named its new creative director in December, and on Wednesday, in front of an intimate group of Paris Fashion Week attendees, he debuted his first collection. Hint: People liked it.

Changing Spaces

One of the biggest immediate contrasts between old Dries Van Noten and new Dries Van Noten was the look of its show venue. In the past, runway shows have taken place in raw, industrial spaces, where the clothes were the clear centerpieces in the room. Klausner, however, chose a much more lavish locale, welcoming his guests to the Palais Garnier, an opera house that opened in 1875 in the 9th arrondissement in Paris. The space is lavish inside and out, with large chandeliers lighting the catwalk and ornate paintings and architectural features everywhere the eye can see. “The collection was created with the venue in mind,” Klausner wrote in a press release. “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.”

Craft Remains Paramount

Craft and attention to detail have always been codes of the Dries Van Noten brand, and they’re not ones leaving anytime soon. In a recent interview with I-D, Klausner told Steff Yotka that he, of course, wants to keep things, from the textures to the colors to the prints. “The craft … we’ve built amazing relationships with a lot of suppliers and craftsmen,” he said. “That is what I want to continue working on.” In the collection, this intention can be seen in the form of multi-colored tassel-embellished garments that were no doubt sewn on by hand. Tops made only of string and mismatching beads were styled underneath tailored suits, while dresses covered in large paillettes required little in the way of accessories to appear complete.

Round Toe’s Renaissance

For years now, pointed-toe shoes have reigned supreme, leaving no room at the top for any other shape. Then, in 2024, we saw almond shapes ease their way in, followed by some square-toe options, and finally, full-on rounded toes. If you’re not a fan, well, that’s too bad, because the toe shape was all that was shown in Klausner’s debut, and with the style growing more and more popular with all the top brands, it’s time to face the music. Pointless toes are here to stay, and I for one, can’t wait.

Opulence! Opulence! Opulence!

Last September’s shows marked the beginning of the end for quiet luxury, ushering in a new, opulent, and maximalist aesthetic that’s set to define the second half of the 2020s. This Dries Van Noten collection only acted as further proof that our predictions about the future of loud luxury were spot on. Clashing, jacquard prints, jewel tones, and exaggerated silhouettes, combined with the Palais Garnier show venue, made for a rich (and expensive) treat for the senses.