Dries van Noten has announced the appointment of their new designer: an existing staffer. That could be a good thing

Dries van Noten’s new creative director Julian Klausner. Screen shot: Truss Archive/Facebook

It is heartening to know that there are maisons who do not wait for a big name designer to be available for hire. Brands that look within their ranks tend to install those who make smoother transitions for the house. Dries van Noten has just announced that they found their guy. Promoting from within, they have appointed Julian Klausner as the brand’s first creative director after its namesake founder unexpectedly stepped down last March. Smooth continuity, it appears, is preferred at Dries van Noten than ground-shaking change. Mr Klausner will oversee both men’s and women’s wear. His first collection will be for men’s fashion week in Paris next month, followed by the women’s show in March. This could mean he has been working on both collections even before the announcement.

Julian Klausner has an impressive resume even if it is not packed with dazzling names or appointments at top couture houses. The Belgian-born received two degrees—a bachelor’s and master’s—from Brussels’ visual arts school La Cambre in 2016. As a student, Mr Klausner interned at Kenzo, Maison Margiela, and Thom Browne, and receive full-time appointment as a junior womenswear designer at Maison Margiela after he graduated. He joined Dries van Noten, now owned by Spanish fashion and beauty conglomerate Puig, in 2018 and worked together with Mr van Noten for the past six years. The retired designer himself said via a statement that the new hire “is not only a talented designer, but also a clear choice to take over after my departure.”

Mr van Noten told the New York Times last June that he would not be involved in the choosing of his successor. But, at the same time, “it would be a pity if somebody just comes in and says, like: ‘Rip everything out. We’re going to do something completely different and just keep your name.’ I think then I would be really sick.” It is unlikely that Julian Klausner would do an Hedi Slimane at Dries van Noten. In a media release, he said: “The incomparable legacy that Dries is leaving behind is monumental, serving as an endless source of precious inspiration. I look forward to embarking on new ambitious challenges while honoring the heritage we all cherish.” When there is so much to forge ahead in fashion, heritage is sometimes forgotten. Good to know it is still relevant.