Dries Van Noten

He's never been interested in becoming a big player in fashion. Instead, Dries Van Noten has always approached work with intentional restraint — creating vibrant and detailed stories through his collections within these bounds. The Belgian creative director has challenged the conventions of modern luxury through a progressive use of color, cuts, fabric, and embroidery. Bold and playful gram-worthy accessories, psychedelic prints, luxurious fabrics that sit perfectly on the body, and garments rooted in cultural nostalgia are all hallmarks of the brand. Collections are always wearable with a healthy mix of seasonless go-to's and season-ready head turners. Whether you are an emerging padawan in fashion or a hardened master, they are easy additions to your wardrobe. If you don't know already, Dries Van Noten is part of the legendary "Antwerp Six" — a group of disruptive fashion graduates from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp. Van Noten launched his self-titled label in the late 80s, quickly garnering attention for his distinct perspective on fashion. Described as deluxe bohemia, collections pull from all aspects of life, designed with an air of rebelliousness. However, the third generation tailor's top priority is always to make his clothes wearable. Today, clothing is distinguished by the brand's use of fabrics like silk, velvet, extremely light polyesters, and satin. Garments look as good as they feel, using carefully tailored relaxed fits and bold prints to compliment materials. Even more so, Van Noten invites the loosening of gender barriers with the creative director often contrasting feminity against masculine elements in his collections.