Dries Van Noten is the third generation of a family of tailors. At 18, he entered the fashion design course at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts and later debuted his menswear collection in 1986. Industry support and enthusiasm for his contemporary approach to tailoring was instant, and stores like Barneys and Whistles in London began stocking Dries Van Noten. Arriving on the Paris Fashion Week schedule in 1993, the designer swiftly gained international acclaim for his sense of craft, artisanship, bold creative expression, and romanticism.
 
Mr. Van Noten’s many industry honors include CFDA International Designer of the Year, Royal Designer for Industry by the RSA, anointed into the Flemish Chamber of Commerce Galerie des Emiments, and the Couture Council Award for Artistry of Fashion. In 2014, his work was celebrated in an expansive exhibition at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, and France honored him in 2015 with the Officier de L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.
 
Mr. Van Noten’s home has long championed his talent; the Queen of Belgium frequently wears his designs and the King appointed the designer a Baron in thanks to his enrichment of the country’s cultural life, an event that coincided with the 100th Dries Van Noten fashion show.
 
A landmark deal was signed with Puig in 2018, where the luxury conglomerate became a majority shareholder in the company. Mr. Van Noten remains as Chief Creative Officer and Chairman. Last year, with Puig’s expertise in the beauty world, Dries Van Noten launched ten gender fluid fragrances, 30 lipsticks in refillable packaging, and an array of beauty accessories. Numerous celebrities have worn the house’s designs, including Cate Blanchett, Michelle Obama, John Legend, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Jake Gyllenhaal.