Dries Van Noten Names a New President as Julian Klausner’s Collections Keep Growing

2 min read

Nightlife Report · Fashion Desk · Lillith Magic · Directed by Anthony Perlas

Dries Van Noten has a new president. The Puig-owned house announced on Friday, October 30, that Adrian Ward-Rees will take the role, succeeding Axel Keller, who is stepping down after more than five years (Vogue).

Who is Adrian Ward-Rees?

Ward-Rees is a British executive who joins from Moncler Grenoble, Moncler’s performance and ski line, where Vogue reports he was chief business officer for a little over two years. He officially starts on December 1, and Keller stays on until the new year to help with the handover.

What did Axel Keller build?

According to an internal announcement quoted by Vogue, Keller oversaw the opening of flagship stores in New York and London and led the brand’s gallery retail concept in Brussels, Milan and Kyoto. He also guided the house through its creative succession, when Julian Klausner was named creative director in 2024 after Dries Van Noten stepped down from the role.

Why does this matter now?

Klausner’s collections are doing well with critics and with customers, with Vogue reporting double-digit growth in 2026. Puig CEO Jose Manuel Albesa told reporters at the group’s Capital Markets Day that the plan is to grow retail slowly and carefully: “Dries is a destination brand, so finding a place is always very special, because we want to create unique spaces. It takes longer, but we plan to open two to three a year.”

The Nightlife Report take

A ski-and-performance executive running one of fashion’s most romantic houses sounds like an odd match until you look at the plan. Two or three carefully chosen stores a year is a destination strategy, and destination stores are where fashion and nightlife meet: launch parties, private dinners, the after-show crowd. If one of those spaces lands in Los Angeles, it will be the invitation everyone wants.

RelatedGucci Opens Demna’s New Store on Avenue Montaigne as Palace and Burberry Hit London

FAQ

Who is the new president of Dries Van Noten? Adrian Ward-Rees, starting December 1, 2026.

Who is the creative director? Julian Klausner, appointed in 2024.

Who owns Dries Van Noten? Puig.

Your move: Want an editorial look built for your own night out? Book a Lillith Magic shoot, see the work at @lillithmagic, and catch the latest at Nightlife Report. Hear the full read on The Perlas Protocol.

Lillith Magic · Directed by Anthony Perlas · Nightlife Report

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