For Autumn/Winter 2026, Julian Klausner chose to open a new chapter for Dries Van Noten by revisiting a location deeply embedded in the house’s visual memory: Lycée Carnot. Longtime followers of the label may recall the brand’s memorable 2009 presentation there, and Klausner echoed that moment by installing a towering mirror at the entrance of the runway.

The reference could easily have slipped into overt nostalgia, a familiar move for creative directors stepping into established houses, but instead it functioned more like a conceptual framing device. The mirror suggested reflection rather than replication, inviting the audience to consider the brand’s history while watching a collection clearly intended to move beyond it.

Ideas of memory, reflection, and transformation, using the metaphor of the mirror as a starting point, translated into clothing that balanced heritage with subtle evolution. Layered textures, rich surfaces, and precise tailoring created depth without overwhelming the silhouette. Instead of leaning on archival reproduction, Klausner distilled the spirit of the label in the thoughtful approach to colour, craft, and fabric, acknowledging the past without becoming confined by it and suggesting a creative direction that respects the house’s legacy while gradually reshaping it for the present.