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Dries Van Noten's Final Show: A Nostalgic Farewell to Fashion
Heidi Truong
- Fashion Blogger -
The global fashion arena, the City of Lights—Paris, has just witnessed the farewell of one of the "great conductors." Belgian designer Dries Van Noten presented his final, 129th collection under his namesake brand, amidst the lingering affection of the guests and an atmosphere filled with nostalgia yet forward-looking towards a hopeful future.
Coming from a family with three generations of tailors, Van Noten's father and mother owned their own fashion boutiques. Hence, the fashion realm seemed to have reserved a place for the young Van Noten. Graduating from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp in 1980, Van Noten polished his name as one of The Antwerp Six in the 1980s. Along with other famous designers such as Ann Demeulemeester and Walter Van Beirendonck, Van Noten helped make Antwerp well-known. With the enthusiasm of youth and an endless passion for fashion, they brought their collections to London in 1986, making Belgium shine on the global fashion stage.
Known for his distinctive aesthetic and incredibly unique creative approach, Van Noten has always walked his own path. He never bought magazine advertisements, didn't engage in advertising campaigns, and declined perfume licensing deals despite lucrative offers from cosmetic giants. However, nearly forty years after its establishment, his brand continues to grow strongly with noteworthy collections and an ability to thrive immune to the shifting tides of time.
The final collection that Dries Van Noten dedicated to the fashion world is likened to a journey through time, revisiting each memorable milestone in his 40-year career. On the evening of a busy fashion week Saturday, hundreds of guests were led to a suburb of Paris to a graffiti-covered warehouse with a distinctive sculpture at the center. The entire fashion community set aside their valuable time to attend the Belgian designer's final show, including notable figures like Thom Browne, Pierpaolo Piccioli, and Ann Demeulemeester.
Before the show started, Dries was present in the audience, meeting and greeting everyone. The reporters and editors present at this fashion reunion could not miss the opportunity either. Glenn Martens shared in an interview with Vogue, “For me, what Dries does has never been old. He’s been doing it for a long time, but it still feels as fresh as the first time he did it.”
In the vast factory where Dries had once held his 50th show in 2004, the guests were excited, emotions swelling every minute in the perfectly tailored looks, with many wearing their favorite classic pieces from Dries. As the curtain unexpectedly rose to reveal a stage covered in “silver leaves,” it immediately reminded viewers of the Dries Van Noten Fall/Winter 2006 show, which also had a similarly sparkling runway but in golden hues.
Dries Van Noten Spring 2025 Menswear included 69 looks for men, with 12 styles for women, showcasing the distinctive flexibility in the DNA of the designer’s style. The beginning of the show was led by a new, edited speech from David Bowie from the soundtrack of Moonage Daydream, in which he says, “Time: one of the most complex expressions. Memory, on the other hand, is represented much more clearly.”
The first look to open the collection was worn by Alain Gossuin, a face that had appeared in the opening show for Dries Van Noten in 1991. It was a double-breasted coat that enhanced Alain Gossuin’s elegant physique, paired with khaki trousers and open-toed sandals. From there, Dries’ relaxed, comfortably stylish, and inimitable dressing was unravelled throughout the collection. Debra Shaw, Kristin Owen, Karen Elson, among others, were famous faces who walked in Dries' farewell runway.
“Capturing memories” was the focus of Dries Van Noten Spring 2025. Just as the silver runway took us back in time, the golden embroidered designs on custom outfits and the blue hues at the start of the show evoked memories of the Menswear Fall/Winter 2016 collection. The collection was meticulously shaped to unfold slowly and deliberately: classic but soft tailoring with embellishments from transparent materials shining here also displayed the designer's ability to make “outdated” aesthetics stand out, enduring over time. A striped blazer with a raised collar created the second look with a transparent bottom, while sparkling faux collars, structured shoulder outerwear, and glossy coats continued to appear on the runway. Moreover, we also saw long and sleek coats no one cuts better than him; baggy suits with classic swagger; beautifully embroidered golden coats; and a stunning combination of colors only he could conceive. Crossing space and time, the contemporary elegance was delicately expressed through embroidered sleeveless shirts, oversized shorts, and military-style jackets.
Unlike recent farewells in the fashion world, Dries Van Noten's goodbye to the fashion realm brings a more positive and optimistic energy. Standing in the realm of fashion, now we can only see the silhouette of the legendary designer fading from view, but instead of regret and clinging, the fashion world lets Dries leave more gently, leisurely, and freely. This is because we all know how much he has dedicated himself to the fashion industry; and the legacy he leaves behind is like a "forest" of ancient trees, providing "shade" for many new trees, inspiring generations of young designers to follow.
“This is my 129th show; like the ones before it, it looks forward to the future. Tonight is a grand finale. I think of Marcello Mastroianni’s paradoxical ‘nostalgia for the future.’ Beyond the lost paradises imagined by Proust, as we continue to chase our dreams, there will come a time when we can look back at everything with love. I love my work, enjoy presenting fashion and sharing fashion with everyone. To create is to leave something that will last forever. My feeling about this moment is that it is not only mine but has always been ours.” Dries Van Noten’s postscript.
Dries Van Noten’s final show was a magnificent blend of nostalgia and innovation, celebrating a 40-year journey through the world of fashion. His legacy will undoubtedly continue to inspire future generations, providing a timeless example of creative integrity and passion.
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