Over the weekend, Dries Van Noten opened their latest storefront, this time on Mercer Street in SoHo. With its mix of masculinity, high-end art, and a little forward-thinking, the space is as much a reflection of the Belgian designer’s legacy as it is the beginning of a new era for the brand.
In March of 2024, Dries Van Noten announced he was stepping down as head of his label, with Julian Klausner named as the new creative director in his stead. Not only was this a surprise to the industry (Van Noten had led his eponymous brand for nearly forty years), but many worried the label—which relied on bold prints, inventive silhouettes, and rich textures—would fundamentally change. Luckily, the store opening shows us that the DNA of Dries is alive and well.
Interior of Dries Van Noten‘s new Mercer Street store.
Dries Van Noten
Of course, in large part this is due to Dries’ continued involvement in the project, alongside Klausner. Known for his personal style (his own home in the medieval Belgian town of Ringenhof has been featured in countless design magazines and Instagram accounts), Dries has blended metal, stone, and wood to make the storefront unmistakably his own. Few could produce an environment that layers raw materials in a way that feels not only imaginative, but intentional. Or, as Dries put it, was all about paying attention.
Van Noten notes, “The space began to guide us. We’d come in with ideas, of course—but once we started placing objects, choosing textures, letting in the light, the spaces started to show us what they needed. It became less about control and more about paying attention.”
Elements old and new mingle harmoniously at the new Dries Van Noten store in SoHo.
Dries Van Noten
Among the 328 square-meters, works by Ben Storms and Simone…