Meredith Ho reports on 10 things about Dries Van Noten’s Julian Klausner
- Rooted in Belgium’s design capital
Julian Klausner was born and raised in Antwerp and Brussels, which were places for avant-garde fashion. He then graduated from La Cambre in Brussels in 2016, joining alumni like Anthony Vaccarello and Matthieu Blazy.
- A family of creatives
Julian grew up in a household instilled with design: his father in architecture and his mother restoring Art Deco furniture.
- His early start in high fashion
Klausner interned at Thom Browne and Kenzo before becoming a junior designer at Maison Margiela. This early experience exposed him to tailoring precision and descontructive innovation.
- Starting his journey at Dries Van Noten
He joined Dries Van Noten’s womenswear team in 2018, where we worked closely with the founder. When Van Noten retired, Klausner became his trusted creative partner.
- Stepping into the Creative Director role
Klausner was appointed Creative Director at 33 in December 2024, following Van Noten’s stepdown. He is known for his deep understanding of the brand’s values and his attention to detail.
- Bridging past, future, and personal memories in his collection
His debut women’s collection at Palais Garnier in March 2025 was a display of transformation and the brand’s past and future. The collection was designed with the grand opera house in mind, and it also drew inspiration from Klausner’s childhood experiences of dressing up and exploring the power of costume, which fueled a playful and personal aspect to the collection.
- Rule-breaking with purpose
Klausner’s design philosophy centers on mastering the rules of design in order to break them to create unconventional and creative designs. He also tailors his designs to the client’s lifestyle, creating designs that feel personal and intentional.
- Low profile lifestyle
He doesn’t have a public social media activity, as he leads a private lifestyle. Klausner unwinds by spending time with friends and having good conversations.
- Expanding in business
Klausner is expanding Dries Van Noten by opening stores in cities such as New York, London, Milan, and Brussels. The focus is to create an immersive experience for customers that reflects each location’s cultural identity and showcases the brand’s aesthetic in these locations.
- 2025 Paris Fashion Week debut
Klausner debuted his first menswear collection at this year’s Paris Fashion Week in June. He showcased many bold colors, prints, and fantasy, symbolizing a fresh, adventurous start to the summer.
