JULIAN KLAUSNER DEBUTS AS CREATIVE DIRECTOR WITH DRIES VAN NOTEN MENSWEAR COLLECTION

words by MAREK BARTEK

Uhm, hello?! In case you missed it, just like we almost did, too, Dries van Noten just launched its latest menswear collection, marking the beginning of Julian Klausner as the brand's new creative director. It wasn’t a big, splashy debut—more of a quiet “hi,” but it’s clear something interesting is happening here.

all images DRIES VAN NOTEN

Instead of a runway, the collection arrived via a dreamy Willy Vanderperre photoshoot, with models lounging in front of a simple background or around boats and weathered backdrops. According to the press release, which was short and to the point, by the way, this collection was “designed by the Dries Van Noten Studio and directed by Julian Klausner.” In other words, it’s a group effort, with Klausner steering the ship. Inspired by William Burroughs’s The Wild Boys, the collection reimagines the underground rebels as 19th-century Antwerp drifters. We’re talking a pink trench coat covered in flowers, paired with pleated shorts and biker boots or a patchwork knit coat worn with shorts, looking like something you’d grab for a chilly seaside morning. Among others, there was also a camel blazer styled with a rose-colored bow shirt—romantic yet slightly undone.

all images DRIES VAN NOTEN

It is moody, a little melancholic, but undeniably stylish. The luxe fabrics—like that patchwork knit—played against rougher details like knotted cord belts, giving everything a mix of polish and practicality. The models posing with faraway gazes, added to the dreamy, washed-out aesthetic.

If this is Klausner only easing into his role, we’re curious to see what he’ll bring when it’s all his. For now, this collection feels like a quiet nudge that Dries Van Noten is heading somewhere new—and we’re excited to be along for the ride.

all images DRIES VAN NOTEN