Dries Van Noten's farewell at Paris Fashion Week

Dries Van Noten left us in March with this message: « I've been preparing for this for a while, I feel the time has come to make room for a new generation of talents who can bring their vision to the brand». And here we have arrived at Paris Fashion Week with the official greetings of the Antwerp designer and the presentation of his latest fashion show , men's (but also women's) spring summer 2025.

With his latest interviews he confessed that it was nerve-wracking as usual and when he saw his entire collection on the rella he had a moment in which he thought about it «I realized that it was the last one and at that moment I thought " Maybe it wasn't a good decision"» he told WWD. Once you arrive at the fashion show, the catwalk is outstanding: a long straight catwalk covered with silver leaves, which reflect the light on the models: « Some of them have been with us since the beginning and the first fashion shows, as if they were part of our family; their presence marks the passage of time. Others, however, are walking our catwalk for the first time! . Belgian model Alain Gossuin opens the show with a long tailored coat, followed by Stefano Tartini and John Armstrong but at the last Dries Van Noten show the wonderful Karen Elson, Kirsten Owen and Hannelore Knuts also take part in the cast .

The models parade with metallic laminated looks in gold and silver, elegant suits that show the sartorial training of Dries Van Noten and garments that show the mastery and trademarks of the Antwerp designer such as the chromatic clashes and the combinations of prints done in a workmanlike manner . A decorative , balanced and sophisticated minimalism emerges . Essential tops and jackets with very fine embroidery and small applications, trousers and over-jumpers in transparent organza, raincoats in shimmering nylon, silk and cotton shirts and jackets in plastic material.

Dries Van Noten's last fashion show coincides with the 129th fashion show and thus closes his wonderful career. And supporting him from the front row was a host of designers and friends such as his two university friends, Ann Demeulemeester and Walter Van Beirendonck , belonging to the Antwerp group of 6, Thom Browne , Diane von Fürstenberg , Pierpaolo Piccioli , Alexander Mattiussi , Kris Van Assche , Neil Barrett, Stephen Jones , Haider Ackermann , Véronique Nichanian and Ludovic de Saint Sernin .

Thus ends the Dries Van Noten era and backstage the Belgian designer states: «This evening is many things but it is not a great finale» , precisely because the designer will continue as advisor for the Maison of the Puig group. At the end of the parade for the final bow, the black cloth is revealed showing an intense spinning disco ball that kicks off the afterparty with the invited guests. A closing of an extraordinary career, done with grace and elegance. We wish Dries Van Noten the best. And as his t-shirts from the autumn winter 2022 collection reported: "Dream Baby Dream". Always.