Dries Van Noten Men’s Fall/Winter 2026

For his second menswear collection at Dries Van Noten, Julian Klausner explored the tender, transformative moment of leaving home. Set to the soft optimism of “Yo Ga Aketara” (“When Dawn Breaks”), the show unfolded like a coming-of-age film in slow motion. There was a sense of nostalgia stitched into every look, as if each garment had been pulled from a suitcase packed with both ambition and hesitation. Klausner described it as the moment when you start building your own wardrobe, piecing together family heirlooms, vintage finds, and the first things you buy for yourself. That spirit of experimentation — slightly awkward, deeply personal — became the thread connecting a collection that blended romantic tailoring with the honesty of lived-in clothes.

The aesthetic took its cue from what Klausner called “friendly clothes”: oversized argyle sweaters, patchworked Fair Isle knits, and soft granddad coats that felt like comfort objects. It was an elevated version of granny chic, styled with the idiosyncratic confidence of youth. Classic collegiate references appeared in capes, blazers, and roomy school bags, reimagined through the Belgian house’s refined, intellectual lens. The result was a wardrobe that felt familiar but never predictable, grounded in texture and character rather than polish. As in the founder’s archives, pattern clashed with pattern — paisley, stripes, and checks layered until they almost became camouflage for sentimentality.

Klausner’s storytelling reached its emotional peak in the details. Laundry-style bags swung from shoulders, floral prints blurred like old Polaroids, and hats stitched from scraps looked both spontaneous and deliberate. A palette of muted greys, browns, and soft pastels tied it all together, evoking the faded warmth of memory. If the show felt like a love letter to youth, it was also a reminder that style often begins with imperfection — with the mismatched, hand-me-down pieces that make us feel safe enough to explore who we are becoming. In translating that vulnerability into design, Klausner proved that Dries Van Noten’s poetic sensibility is in steady, confident hands.