Dries Van Noten retires; legacy of Antwerp Six and Belgian fashion revolution

Dries Van Noten, the renowned Belgian fashion designer, has declared his retirement from the fashion industry, concluding his role as creative director of his namesake brand after nearly four decades. He introduced his first menswear line in 1991, followed by womenswear in 1993, characterized by a poetic style that became his signature. A pivotal figure in the Antwerp fashion scene, Van Noten, along with the Antwerp Six—Walter Van Beirendonck, Dirk Bikkembergs, Ann Demeulemeester, Marina Yee, and Dirk Van Saene—transformed fashion in the late 1980s and 1990s, challenging established fashion centers like London and Paris. Other notable Belgian designers include Raf Simons, who shuttered his brand in 2022 yet remains co-creative director at Prada, and contemporaries like Martin Margiela and emerging talents such as Ludovic de Saint Sernin and Marine Serre.