The room was quiet when the first model walked in. A pale, grey trench coat with a barely-there bell shape paired with bright, cherry-red socks and shoes. It was quiet until Lou Reed’s “Street Hassle” echoed within the industrial halls, which vaguely reminded of a construction site. It was a moment that asked the question: is it formal or is it not? Before you could answer, the next look arrived, and the lines winked again.
Julian Klausner’s menswear debut at Dries Van Noten felt like a celebration of colour, femininity, and joy in a season that has been quite dull and muted in tones. Klausner said he remembered the Van Noten wardrobe he loved: “Traditional yet daring, the different layers of dressing up.” Every outfit reflected that idea, from midi cummerbunds worn as a nod to last night’s festivities to satin trousers glinting under the lights.
Hyperbolic graphic prints in XXL proportions, eye-searing colour combinations, and meticulous patchwork of patterns and block colours defined the outerwear and relaxed shirts. Colours shift between bold and muted: deep red and cyan, rich orange and mauve, fresh green balanced by black, white, and khaki, all anchored by soft grey mélange. The attention to detail is evident in every look, from the slightly peplumed sleeveless tops to the boxer and tailored shorts that nod to Van Noten’s signature love of rich colour.
Long coats — some darted at the sleeves, others box-pleated at the back — glided over ribbed cycle shorts. Evening tops borrowed from the women’s archive, boat-neck and softly draped, came layered over crisp shirts or floated alone. And there were cropped tuxedo jackets, ending just shy of the waist, paired with loose, mid-calf trousers.
Look by look, texture told the story. Satin and jacquard mixes, dusty floral prints, flickers of glowing stripes. Reworked jacquards from past seasons cut into vertical panels lent a patchwork-like storytelling. Cloqué, pointelle, and lace knits teased the eye without overwhelming it. Even shirts held surprises: buttoned neatly, sleeves rolled to reveal a chequered lining, and cuffs peeking out as if left unplanned.
The moments that lingered were truly memorable. A sheer embroidered tank sat beneath a satin shirt, while sequins shimmered like leftover confetti on shorts. Sarongs were styled at the hip, paired with tailored trousers. The integral cummerbund, once a black-tie exclusive, now came in stripes or embroidery, intentionally visible and unintentionally cool.
Accessories played a key role, adding a sense of suave sophistication with gorgeous neckties, leather flip-flops, knitted-panel jackets, and suede weekenders. The bags included the Arch, a compact and casual-looking bag, and an elongated duffel inspired by the DVN sneakers. Jewellery pieces were also imagined as beach charms and personal talismans, crafted from sustainably sourced shells suspended with gold wire, or abalone fragments hanging from laces.
As the music faded to the sound of “A Perfect Day” — the final look appeared: a white shirt and khaki chinos on a model stepping lightly across the concrete floor.
If anything, SS26 felt like an invitation to dress instinctively, to care without overthinking, to shake the stiffness out of traditional codes. “A man in love,” Klausner called him, “on a stroll at the beach at dawn, after a party.” And that’s exactly who walked the show. No need to define the dress code — he already understood it.
Discover the collection here.
photography. Daniele Oberrauch
words. Gennaro Costanzo
