The winds of change are blowing at Dries Van Noten with the arrival of Julian Klausner as the new creative director of the brand. The Fall/Winter 2025-26 collection, presented today at the Opéra Garnier during Paris Fashion Week, marks the brand's first step on this new path. What did we see? What does the future hold?

Klausner decided to envelop his first collection in an aura of experimentation; his approach stems from the idea of "playing" with clothing, from the feeling we get when we put on a certain item and it transforms us.

With a six-year tenure at the firm, it was natural for Julian to maintain and cherish the codes that Dries established from the beginning. To these idiosyncrasies, such as well-crafted layering, a mastery in the overlay of textures, and generally the ability to surprise us with unexpected proposals each season, the new creative added historical touches, drama, and, in some cases, exaggeration.

Archive pieces were reinterpreted under an experimental yet cautious vision (something to be expected from someone stepping into 30 years of tradition), testing the terrain of what can and cannot be done. Something I personally appreciate, as a designer who understands the codes of a firm has a much brighter future in the industry than one who arrives to impose an aesthetic. The facts say it, and the wave of recent changes and dismissals speaks volumes.

AN INSTALLMENT OF COLORS AND SHAPES

Speaking specifically of the collection, and within a context where Fall/Winter 2025-26 trends tend to lean towards oversized pieces, puffer items, and layering, Dries Van Noten contributes a careful preservation of the tailoring silhouette, to which are added touches of color and texture thanks to the inclusion of artisanal belts that challenge traditional forms, acting as functional figures, yes, but mostly aesthetic. The irreverent counterpoint within the apparent sobriety that, for example, can be found in the blazers and coats.

The sinuous, almost aquatic curves of the fabrics are another point that differentiates Klausner's work this season; wherever you set your gaze, whether we are talking about a skirt, a dress, a blouse, or a jacket, your eyes will encounter soft shapes that accompany the movement of the body and add volumes in places where we tend not to see them: a fall on one side, a bulge on another, transform the female figure into a topographic map of style and a lecture on the use of fabric properties. Fabrics not only flow downwards, they can also twist, rise, hide, and reappear elsewhere.

However, the visual delight of the Fall/Winter 2025-26 season at Dries Van Noten does not end there, far from it. The combination of colors and patterns, in the most varied way possible, stands as another key banner of the collection: materials of the most diverse kinds and in tones that contrast and complement, abound in each of the 56 looks, creating a bohemian parade of craftsmanship and ready-to-wear. With great talent, Julian offers us a universe of explosive elegance: yes, there is formality in certain lines, but the pieces crafted in that manner are not exempt from the impact of sequins or the hypnotic charm of intricate patterns.

THE LEGACY IS MAINTAINED

Part of the beauty of Dries Van Noten stems from this combination of colorful, bold-shaped pieces with some basics. No matter what you are looking for, it is very likely that you will find it here: from exaggerated coats to a pair of reliable everyday trousers. Klausner decided to respect this spirit, giving us a refreshing way to revisit Van Noten's legacy without leading fans to wonder if they are seeing the same brand they so love.

What does the future hold for this new creative director? No one can say for sure. However, we can say that he started off on the right foot.