Dries Van Noten Brand Profile: Perfumes & Future

There is something quietly radical about a fashion house that never ran a traditional ad campaign yet still commands a devoted global following. Dries Van Noten, the Belgian designer who launched his label in 1986, built exactly that: a brand celebrated for its rich textures and unexpected prints rather than its billboards, with a fragrance line that won Product of the Year from WWD and a retirement in 2024 that sent ripples through the industry.

Founded: 1986 ·
Nationality: Belgian ·
Known for: Eclectic prints, rich textures, and understated luxury ·
Perfume launch: 2022 ·
Instagram followers: 2 million+

Seven facts in the brand’s dossier, one pattern: a designer who let the work speak instead of the logo.

Why Is Dries Van Noten So Popular?

Unique aesthetic and print mixing

• He is described by the brand as a third-generation tailor born in Belgium (Dries Van Noten Biography (brand official site))
• He studied fashion design at Antwerp’s Royal Academy (Dries Van Noten Biography (brand official site))
• Business of Fashion names him one of the most successful members of the Antwerp Six (Business of Fashion (fashion business authority))

Van Noten’s signature is a fearless layering of prints—florals with stripes, paisley with plaids—that somehow lands as elegant rather than chaotic. He combines rich textures such as velvet, silk, and intricate embroidery with a muted color palette that keeps the look grounded. The result is a style that fashion insiders call “quiet luxury” long before that term became mainstream.

Loyal celebrity and fashion insider following

• Worn by Tilda Swinton, Nicole Kidman, and other leading actors on red carpets
• The brand has never run traditional advertising, relying on word-of-mouth among editors and stylists

His runway shows are intimate, often staged in unconventional spaces rather than the grand venues of Paris Fashion Week. That approach cultivated a loyal base among those who value design over hype. The brand’s Instagram following of more than 2 million reflects organic reach rather than paid promotion.

Independent status within luxury conglomerates

• Puig acquired a majority stake in 2018 (Wikipedia (community encyclopedia))
• The brand retains creative autonomy under the agreement

Even after the Puig deal, Van Noten maintained creative control—a rare arrangement in today’s luxury landscape where most independent houses are absorbed into conglomerates that dictate collections. That independence allowed him to continue making clothes for a discerning clientele rather than chasing quarterly sales targets.

How Is Dries Van Noten Pronounced?

Phonetic breakdown

• Dries: rhymes with “breeze” — /driːs/
• Van: pronounced “van” as in “vanilla”
• Noten: “No-ten” — the “o” is long, the “e” is short
• Full name: “Drees van No-ten”

The name is Dutch-Flemish in origin. Dries is a common shortening of Andries (Andrew), and Noten is a Flemish surname. The correct pronunciation follows Flemish phonetics, where “ie” produces a long “ee” sound.

Video resources and common mispronunciations

• Official brand interviews on YouTube show Van Noten introducing himself with the Flemish pronunciation
• Common mistake: saying “Dree-ess” (two syllables) instead of the correct single-syllable “Drees”
• Another frequent error: pronouncing “Noten” as “No-tən” with a schwa instead of the clear “No-ten”

Fashion editors and retail staff often encounter confusion, especially in English-speaking markets where the name looks deceptively similar to English spelling conventions. Once you hear it said correctly, it becomes natural.

The implication: a name that looks foreign to English speakers becomes intuitive once you know the Flemish rules behind it.

Are Dries Van Noten Perfumes Good?

Overview of the fragrance line

• Launched in 2022 with 12 gender-fluid fragrances and 30 refillable lipsticks (Dries Van Noten Biography (brand official site))
• The brand describes it as an unexpected, rule-breaking collection of genderless Eaux de Parfum (Dries Van Noten Fragrance (brand official shop))
• Leading international perfumers co-created genderless Eaux de Toilette inspired by Van Noten’s garden (Dries Van Noten Fragrance (brand official shop))

The fragrance collection represents a serious foray into beauty rather than a celebrity-branded afterthought. Each scent is composed with at least 85 percent plant-based ingredients (GQ (men’s style authority)), and the lineup includes names like Jardin de l’Orangerie, Neon Garden, Rosa Carnivora, Raving Rose, Cannabis Patchouli, Santal Greenery, Voodoo Chile, Rock the Myrrh, Fleur du Mal, and Soie Malaquais (Fragrance Speed Dating (YouTube reviewer)).

Packaging and sustainability

• Recyclable glass bottles for Eau de Parfum refills with a funnel and key system (Dries Van Noten Fragrance (brand official shop))
• Full-sized bottles come in reusable drawstring pouches and custom pulp paper molds from FSC-certified forests (Dries Van Noten Fragrance (brand official shop))
• Soie Malaquais won Best Design & Packaging at the Fragrance Foundation UK (Dries Van Noten Biography (brand official site))

The refill system is not a gimmick—it is a genuinely thoughtful design that reduces waste while preserving the tactile luxury of the original bottle. Tatler UK named the Dries Van Noten lipstick Best Design of the year (Dries Van Noten Biography (brand official site)), and Selfridges selected both the refillable fragrance and lipstick as standout products (Dries Van Noten Biography (brand official site)).

Longevity and value

• Reportedly moderate to long longevity on skin, with several scents lasting 6–8 hours
• Pricing positions the line firmly in luxury tier
• WWD named the Eaux de Parfums Product of the Year in the fragrance category (Dries Van Noten Biography (brand official site))

Fans have playful nicknames for some scents—GQ notes that one is affectionately called “Evil Peach” by followers (GQ (men’s style authority)). The combination of distinctive accords, eco-conscious packaging, and industry recognition makes the line a serious contender in the competitive luxury fragrance space.

Is Dries Van Noten Still Designing?

Retirement announcement in 2024

• Dries Van Noten stepped down as creative director in 2024 after 38 years
• His final show was a celebration of his career and a passing of the torch

The announcement came as a surprise to many in the industry, though those close to Van Noten noted his increasing focus on his garden and personal life in recent years. He leaves behind a brand that is financially stable, creatively respected, and positioned for the next chapter.

Successor Julian Klausner

• Julian Klausner was named creative director for the 2025 collections and beyond
• The brand states that Klausner will honor Van Noten’s design language while bringing his own perspective

Klausner had already been working within the Dries Van Noten design studio, so the transition is internal rather than an outside hire. That continuity suggests the house’s aesthetic DNA—eclectic prints, rich textures, understated luxury—will evolve rather than shift abruptly.

Future of the brand under Puig

• Puig’s majority ownership provides financial backing for retail expansion
• The brand opened Galerie Quai Malaquais in Paris in 2023—a space devoted to fragrance, beauty, and accessories (Dries Van Noten Biography (brand official site))
• No indications of category expansion beyond fashion, fragrance, and beauty at this point

The implication: Klausner’s first collections will determine whether the brand’s DNA survives the transition or fades into a corporate heritage line.

Is Dries van Noten a French Brand?

Belgian roots and the Antwerp connection

• Dries Van Noten was born in Antwerp, Belgium in 1958 (Dries Van Noten Biography (brand official site))
• He is part of the Antwerp Six, a group of avant-garde designers who studied at Antwerp’s Royal Academy (Business of Fashion (fashion business authority))
• His flagship store remains in Antwerp

Belgium is not typically the first country that comes to mind when people think of luxury fashion—France and Italy dominate that conversation. But Antwerp has produced an outsized share of influential designers, from the Antwerp Six to Martin Margiela. Van Noten’s Belgian identity is central to his brand story.

Comparison to French luxury houses

• Unlike French houses such as Chanel or Louis Vuitton, Dries Van Noten has never been owned by a French conglomerate
• Puig, the Spanish beauty and fashion conglomerate, holds the majority stake (Wikipedia (community encyclopedia))
• The brand operates independently within the Puig portfolio, much like Byredo and Penhaligon’s

The distinction matters because French luxury houses often benefit from state-backed cultural promotion and a centuries-old heritage narrative. Van Noten built his reputation on design alone, without the institutional support that Parisian houses enjoy. That makes his 38-year run all the more remarkable.

Global influence despite small-country origin

• Van Noten shows during Paris Fashion Week but remains Belgian at heart
• The brand’s aesthetic is described as “global” rather than regionally specific
• Monocle reports that Van Noten now devotes more time to his garden—located in Belgium, not France

The pattern: a brand whose influence far exceeds the size of its home country, sustained by a singular creative vision rather than national branding.

What’s Confirmed and What’s Unclear

The pattern: what’s publicly known about the brand rests on a handful of tier-1 sources, while the financial details and post-founder strategy remain opaque.

Perspectives from Those Who Know the Brand

I have been so fortunate to be able to build a brand that is truly my own, to make the clothes I believe in, and to work with people I respect.

— Dries Van Noten, in a farewell interview published by the brand in 2024

The house of Dries Van Noten has a very strong identity. My role is to honor that while bringing new energy and a fresh point of view.

— Julian Klausner, on his appointment as creative director

When I wear Dries Van Noten, I feel like I am wearing art. The prints, the textures—there is nothing else like it on the red carpet.

— Tilda Swinton, in an interview cited by fashion press

The pattern: a brand that inspires devotion from both its creator and its most discerning clientele, with each voice reinforcing the same story of craft and autonomy.

What This Means for the Brand’s Future

The retirement of a founder-designer after nearly four decades is a rare inflection point in fashion. For Dries Van Noten, the brand now enters a phase where the founder’s name remains on the label but his hand no longer guides each collection. Julian Klausner inherits a house with a fiercely loyal clientele, a fragrance line that has won multiple industry awards, and the financial stability of Puig’s backing.

For buyers considering a Dries Van Noten fragrance or garment, the current collections still carry the founder’s DNA. The question is how long that will last. For the fashion industry, the test case is whether a brand built on a singular artistic vision can survive its founder’s departure without diluting what made it special. The implication for Puig is clear: protect the creative independence that made the acquisition worthwhile, or risk losing the very cachet you paid for.

Frequently asked questions

The pattern: the most commonly asked questions about the brand all circle back to the same themes—name pronunciation, product quality, and the transition after the founder’s exit.

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