The Joy of Coming of Age: Dries Van Noten Fall/Winter 2026

Dries Van Noten has long been a mainstay of luxury eclecticism with an intellectual edge. Since the late 1980s, as part of the Antwerp Six, his signature has been a masterful blend of historical references, bold patterns, rich textures, and an effortless sophistication that feels both timeless and deeply personal.

While the house carries the profound legacy of its founder—who stepped away in 2024—its latest collection for next season marks a confident evolution under creative director Julian Klausner.

A vibrant, youthful energy filled the air as models emerged from the corridors of the historic Lycée Carnot, the same Parisian high school venue Dries Van Noten used years ago in 2009, with a floor-to-ceiling mirror installed at the runway’s start to echo past shows.

The tailored blazers, toggle coats, and duffle coats that opened the show were reminiscent of school-uniform staples. However, the refined neutrals that introduced the collection quickly gave way to clashing prints, oversized proportions, and maximalist mixes.

Classic shirts gained piped edges or gilded cuffs; blazers were fitted closely or draped loosely; pleated skirts collided with chunky knits and varsity-inspired pieces. Soon, bold floral collisions, pixelated patterns drawn from Flemish still lifes, and textured embellishments appeared.

Garments collide unpredictably, and the house’s decades of fearless pattern play and cultural collage become subtly evident in how the sophistication of the fabrics is interrupted by bursts of youthful rebellion.

The collection draws from the universal feeling of high school—a mix of vulnerability and confidence that can coexist in a work in progress. This sense of becoming, layering, and impermanence is translated directly into the design language for Fall/Winter 2026.

Klausner’s wardrobe gains a new yet familiar edge through deliberate clashes and bold juxtapositions, rendering silhouettes that are at once nostalgic and daring. One by one, they transform the runway into a living archive, reminding us that beauty lies in the joy of becoming.