The Heritage
The Story of Dries Van Noten
Dries Van Noten is a Belgian fashion house founded in Antwerp in 1986. The brand became a defining force in contemporary fashion as a member of the influential Antwerp Six, known for bold painterly prints, rich textures, and a signature aesthetic that blends eclectic global references with artisanal craftsmanship. In 2018, the company partnered with Spanish fragrance and fashion group Puig, which acquired a majority stake while Van Noten retained a minority shareholding. The brand expanded internationally with flagships including an 800 square metre space on La Cienega Boulevard in Los Angeles, stores in Shanghai and Chengdu, and in 2022 opened a Paris gallery devoted exclusively to fragrance, beauty, and accessories called Galerie Quai Malaquais. The beauty line features twelve gender-fluid fragrances, thirty lipsticks in refillable packaging, and a range of accessories. Soie Malaquais won the Fragrance Foundation UK Award for Design & Packaging. In June 2024, Dries Van Noten stepped down as Creative Director, passing the role to Julian Klausner, who had joined the house in 2018.
Heritage
Dries Van Noten the designer was born in 1958 in Antwerp into a family of garment makers and traders. His father owned a menswear shop, grounding the young designer in fabric, construction, and the language of clothing from an early age. Van Noten studied at La Cambre in Brussels, building a strong foundation in design before embarking on his fashion career. In 1986, he co-founded his eponymous label with Christine Mathys, who serves as CEO and business partner. The brand quickly distinguished itself within the Antwerp Six, a group of avant-garde Belgian designers that reshaped the global fashion conversation in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Their success elevated Belgium's status in the international fashion arena and established a template for conceptual, artistically-driven fashion labels. The company remained privately held for decades, with estimated annual sales of thirty million euros reported in 2007. In 2018, Spanish fragrance and fashion conglomerate Puig acquired a majority stake, bringing new resources for expansion while allowing Van Noten to continue directing the creative vision. That same year, actress Cate Blanchett wore the brand for the Academy Awards, beginning a sustained red carpet relationship. Queen Mathilde of Belgium and actress Maggie Gyllenhaal have also worn the label. The brand's expansion into mainland China included stores in Shanghai and Chengdu. The United States flagship opened on La Cienega Boulevard in Los Angeles, featuring a dedicated gallery space called The Little House. Throughout this growth, the label maintained its focus on innovative textiles, creative pattern work, and the interplay between traditional craftsmanship and contemporary cultural references. In March 2024, Van Noten announced his decision to step down as creative director after nearly four decades. His final collection was presented during Paris Fashion Week in June 2024, with Julian Klausner succeeding him. The house remains committed to the visionary spirit and innovative design that defined Van Noten's tenure.
Craftsmanship
The fragrance development process begins with perfumers visiting Van Noten's sprawling garden at his 19th-century estate outside Antwerp. This grounding in the designer's personal environment shapes the creative direction of the collection. Eighteen perfumers have contributed to the brand's fragrances, with each of the ten 2022 collection scents created by a different nose. The perfumers include Suzy Le Helley, Julien Rasquinet, Paul Guerlain, Nicolas Bonneville, Jean-Christophe Hérault, Quentin Bisch, Jordi Fernández, Daniela Andrier, Fanny Bal, Annick Menardo, Louise Turner, Amelie Jacquin, Daphné Bugey, Nisrine Bouazzaoui Grillié, Marie Salamagne, Alexandra Monet, and Nicolas Beaulieu. The fragrances contain at least 85% natural ingredients. Fragrance Foundation UK recognised Soie Malaquais with the Design & Packaging Award. WWD named the Eaux de Parfums Product of the Year. The beauty line introduced refillable lipstick packaging in collectible ceramic cases, reflecting sustainable commitments alongside the natural ingredient philosophy of the perfume range.
Design Language
Van Noten applied his fashion sensibilities to every element of the fragrance and beauty line. The perfume bottles feature smooth, minimal silhouettes with frosted glass and matte-finished caps, echoing the refined aesthetic of the fashion house. The Paris Galerie Quai Malaquais opened as a dedicated space for fragrance, beauty, and accessories, presenting the collection within an environment aligned with the brand's broader visual identity. The lipstick cases were designed in four reusable ceramic containers, combining functional elegance with sustainability. Tatler UK recognised the Dries Van Noten lipstick as Best Design of the year, and Selfridges elected the refillable fragrance and lipstick as one of the year's standout products. The visual language across beauty offerings maintains the brand's painterly aesthetic and reference-heavy design approach, drawing from art and global culture as it does in fashion. The Los Angeles flagship on La Cienega Boulevard houses a designated gallery space called The Little House, reflecting the brand's commitment to presenting art and product as intertwined experiences.
Philosophy
Van Noten entered perfumery through collaboration rather than conventional commercial channels. His first fragrance arrived in 2013 through Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle, the renowned haute-niche house founded in 2000 by perfume editor Frederic Malle, whose grandfather founded Christian Dior Perfumes. This collaboration introduced Van Noten's fashion philosophy to fragrance audiences on Malle's editor-led terms, where perfumers work without commercial constraints. When the brand launched its own fragrance line in 2022 with Puig, it applied the same unconventional logic to a full collection. Ten unisex fragrances were commissioned, each from a different perfumer, each interpreting an aspect of Van Noten's character. Rather than brief-led commercial fragrance development, Van Noten invited each perfumer to explore his garden at his 19th-century estate outside Antwerp before beginning work. The fragrances are described as unorthodox interpretations of traditional floral themes, building on the brand's fashion philosophy of juxtaposition, cultural layering, and unexpected combinations. The collection contains at least 85% natural ingredients, reflecting a commitment to material quality aligned with the brand's focus on textile innovation and craftsmanship. Fragrances like Raving Rose by Louise Turner and Rosa Carnivora by Daphné Bugey received particular attention for their bold, pepper-infused take on rose and creamy patchouli and vetiver interpretations respectively. The beauty line expansion in 2024 introduced lipsticks and accessories alongside the fragrances, all sharing the same design language of refined restraint and artistic intention.
Key Milestones
1986
Dries Van Noten founded in Antwerp by the designer and CEO Christine Mathys
2013
First fragrance collaboration with Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle released
2018
Spanish fragrance and fashion group Puig acquires a majority stake in the company
2022
First collection of ten perfumes launches with Puig, made with at least 85% natural ingredients
2024
Beauty line launches with twelve gender-fluid fragrances, thirty lipsticks in refillable packaging, and accessories; Galerie Quai Malaquais opens in Paris
2024
Dries Van Noten steps down as Creative Director after nearly four decades; Julian Klausner succeeds him
At a Glance
Brand profile snapshot
Origin
Belgium
Founded
1986
Heritage
40
Years active
Collection
5
Fragrances released
Avg Rating
4.1
Community sentiment
Release Rhythm