Dries Van Noten may have passed on the creative director mantle last year, but the spirit of the eponymous brand remains unmistakably his.
Since founding the label in 1986, the Belgian designer has carved out a singular space in fashion – quietly radical, artfully layered and deeply personal.
In April, with longtime collaborator Julian Klausner at the creative helm, the label opened its first New York flagship on Mercer Street along with a London counterpart in Hanover Square – each an intimate, expressive space personally designed and curated by Van Noten.
We speak to him about the evolution of the brand, his vision for physical retail and the unique energy he hopes to capture in the new boutique.
Why is now the right time to open a flagship in New York?
New York has always been a very special place. It is something I’ve dreamed about for years, but we believe in the right timing and place. This store comes at a moment when the brand is evolving. It feels important to connect with New York in a deeper and more permanent way.
This store is part of a wider global expansion. What’s driving that momentum, and how do you decide where to go next?
Each city has its own rhythm and energy, and we try to reflect that in every space that we open. The starting point is always the architecture. London had a more formal feel, while New York had so much height and feels very monumental, so we leaned into that. From there, the materials and objects started to be collected.
You recently stepped back from your role as creative director. How has that shift influenced your approach to retail?
We see these openings as a new chapter. The house has always evolved with quiet confidence. I think you clearly see that I was involved, and I really like to play with that. I think it’s different ways of looking at my aesthetic. And Julian’s arrival brings a new creative pulse while honoring our legacy. I am confident that the brand will continue to evolve and resonate with new audiences.
You’ve always been known for your unique eye – not just in fashion, but interiors and curation too. How did you approach composing this retail space?
It always starts with an emotion. Of course, we look at artworks, objects, materials — but what matters most is the place. The architecture and the buildings themselves. London has been treated like an apartment and New York is sort of an artistic space.
The newly opened New York and London stores have very different design personalities. How do you capture the spirit of a place?
Every store is different. What does carry through is the idea that a store should reflect its surroundings and feel personal. We don’t follow a formula. We really listen to the building and the city we’re in. We approached the stores as something more than just a place to show clothes. We wanted to build an atmosphere where everything – the garments, the furniture and the art – worked together. It has to feel authentic.
Flagships are a major investment, especially post-pandemic. What makes that investment worthwhile in an era when so much can be sold online?
It’s a sign of hope and optimism, which I think is necessary in this moment. What is retail today? You have e-commerce and you can share images and identity online. In a store, it is about welcoming people into a universe. It’s about personal contact, the tactility of things that evoke an emotion. That’s why we drastically changed what a shop has to be.
What does ‘luxury retail’ mean to you now? Has that definition changed in the past few years?
Every store should be special. As I said, there is no formula that we follow. The concept is [that] the store is a center for creativity – maybe a sense of curiosity, or even a place of having the pleasure of noticing something unexpected.
