Dries Van Noten Biography

Dries Van Noten, who was born in Antwerp in 1958, is the third generation of a tailoring family. Dries enrolled at the Royal Academy of Antwerp's fashion design degree when he was 18 years old. After graduation, he worked as a consulting designer until launching his own clothing line in 1986. With orders submitted by famous customers such as Barneys New York, Pauw in Amsterdam, and Whistles in London, the positive response was virtually immediate. Dries started a little namesake boutique in Antwerp's gallery arcade in September of the same year, only to relocate in 1989 to 'Het Modepalais,' a five-story former department store on the Nationalestraat, where it still stands today. Many of the historic fixtures and fittings, including the building's name, were preserved throughout the restoration. Dries Van Noten has presented Spring/Summer and Autumn/Winter collections for ladies and men every year since its inception. In 2004, he hosted a dinner for 500 guests, who were placed at a table that eventually became the runway for the women presenting the collection. In March of this year, the 100th Dries Van Noten fashion show will take place. Dries Van Noten built his women's boutique in Paris in 2007, and a shop for both collections in Tokyo's Aoyama neighborhood in 2009, in collaboration with Tomorrowland. In the same year, he opened a boutique in Paris for his men's line. Dries Van Noten received the International Designer of the Year Award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) in June 2008. In December 2008, the RSA Trustee Board in London awarded him the title of "Royal Designer for Industry" (RDI). Dries was initiated into the « Galerie des Eminents » by the Flemish Chamber of Commerce (VOKA) in 2009, the Gold Medal ("Gouden Penning") by the Flemish Royal Academy of Belgium, and the "Couture Council Award for Artistry of Fashion" by the Couture Council of The Museum at FIT in New York. Dries Van Noten was invited to preside over the 25th edition of the Hyeres (France) "Festival International de Mode et de Photographie" in May 2010, and he presided over the jury of the 7th "A Shaded View on Fashion Film" Festival in 2014. (ASVOFF). Dries Van Noten's "Inspirations," a first-ever exhibition encompassing his creations and influences, opened at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris on January 1, 2014. In 2015, a different version of the show was relocated to Antwerp, and both had record crowds. In July, former French Minister of Culture and current President of the Institut du Monde Arabe, Jack Lang, presented Dries Van Noten with the title of "Officier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres." Dries Van Noten Osaka reopened in August in collaboration with Tomorrowland. Dries Van Noten was awarded the Culture Award by the Province of Antwerp in October 2016 for his commitment to culture. Dries Van Noten has dressed actors for the Academy Awards, the Queen of Belgium for state visits, and designed for various contemporary dance companies, including the New York City Ballet's Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker and Justin Peck, as well as artist David Michalek on his performance at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

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