It’s officially a new chapter of Dries Van Noten. The name no longer just refers to the man himself, but something bigger: Dries Van Noten is now a house, with codes, principles, and a legacy to uphold. Given that Dries always avoided industry trends, it’s fitting that the successor was chosen from within, rather than a flashy name from without. Julian Klausner, who’s been with the brand since 2018 and responsible for the women’s collections for several years, is now tasked with maintaining the legacy of the house while leading it into the future. And with his debut runway collection for A/W ‘25, Klausner already found the sweet spot. 

A/W ‘25 felt very much like an extraction of balance as one of the house codes. Dries himself was a master of this: He excelled in finding the narrowest line between good and bad taste and thriving off of that tension (His S/S ‘20 collection done with Christian Lacroix providing a sublime example). The difficulty in this extraction is that Dries never really had a signature look, a singular product that people can point toward; in reality, his following adored his immaculate sensibilities, which could be amorphous from season to season. Of course, there are the clashing of prints and colors, exquisite embroideries and craftsmanship, bohemianism, or certain motifs that he favored, but these are not as easily transcribed as the shape of a shoulder or a heritage handbag. 

For Klausner, this exercise in balance began at the conceptual level: “Here, I imagined women passing through the opera, grabbing fabrics and objects, tying them with a shoelace while on a quest to find the answer to an unknown question. Behind the curtain, where creation and practice happen.” This reference emerged directly with coats using rug jacquards and curtain tassels as embellishments, the latter done more extravagantly toward the end on a multi-colored coat or dress. The opulence and austerity of the opera – also invoked by the halls of the Palais Garnier – was countered with hints of bricolage, like whipstitched shoelaces around the edges of coats or clusters of jewels on necklines. Klausner also took enlarged silk ties and scarves – a trademark DVN accessory – and turned them into chic, sumptuous dresses which settled things into a louche Belgian elegance. Here again, balance was struck, as Klausner offset the jewel-toned vibrancy with several well-tailored numbers served in black and navy. 

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Dries Van Noten A/W 25 (Source: Dries Van Noten)

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Dries Van Noten A/W 25 Runway look (Source: Dries Van Noten)

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Dries Van Noten A/W 25 Runway Look (Source: Dries Van Noten)


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Dries Van Noten A/W 25 Runway Look (Source: Dries Van Noten)

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Dries Van Noten A/W 25 Backstage (Source: Dazed, Photo by Morgane Maurice)

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On an individual level, many looks were built around a balance of the silhouette bisected by the waist. Corset belts made several appearances, done in a brown croc-leather with those same whipstitched shoelaces. From a heavy sienna skirt with arabesque embroidery and a foldover corset waist emerged a delicate white sleeveless top with beadwork; that same skirt and waistline, this time in grey, was used with a wide-shouldered jacket. A cow print bomber jacket with gigot sleeves, gathered around the neckline, was worn with a long skirt in blush pink that narrowed the silhouette from the top down.

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Klausner follows the same intuitive approach to design shared by his predecessor. In the show notes, he mentioned playing in his family’s costume box when he was a child, and discovering all of the textures and sensations of clothing. “This collection is a celebration of that instinct: of transformation, of personal ritual, of the quiet yet powerful dialogue between past and future, which is at the heart of Dries Van Noten.” 

Speaking of transformation, the question that hung in the air before the collection was, How will the Dries woman transform? It’s a tall order to follow an industry giant, especially in a moment when creative directors are swapped out every other week. Yet Klausner arrived with confidence and a strong assertion of his own aesthetic; it almost felt like a first date with the new ‘Dries Woman.’ There was a sense of wanting to show off a little bit – the ‘personal ritual’ of getting ready to impress. Klausner certainly showed off some of the things he’s bringing to the table: the amount of draping in this collection was new, and may work to give the brand a younger appeal. At times, it felt a little more dressed up than what we have seen from Dries in the past, though it isn’t entirely new territory; A/W ‘20, done during Klausner’s tenure, and A/W ‘16 seem like relevant touch points here – (and if she were on a date to the opera, then the man taking her out might be dressed in something from men’s A/W ‘13).


Dries Van Noten F/W 20 Runway (Source: Vogue, Photo by Filippo Fior) 

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Dries Van Noten F/W 16 Runway (Source : Vogue, Photo by Marcus Tondo)

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Dries Van Noten Menswear F/W 13 (Source: Vogue, Photo by Yannis Vlamos)

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But about that first date: you only get to make a first impression once. And Klausner took the opportunity to make a strong personal statement for his vision. If his debut offered a sense of the future for the brand, then the retired Belgian master should be happy: The house of Dries Van Noten looks to be in good hands. 

ARCHIVE.pdf visited the showroom to get a closer look at Dries Van Noten A/W ‘25. Photos by our contributing photographer Thian Benton Fieulaine.

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Nash Hill

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ARCHIVE.pdf visited the Dries Van Noten showroom for a closer look at Julian Klausner’s debut collection. 

Behind the Curtain: Dries Van Noten A/W '25 Showroom

Miguel Adrover’s abrupt career illustrates the promise and pitfalls that follow authenticity in fashion.

The Illumination of Miguel Adrover

Tokyo-based magazine Sabukaru invited us to their Paris Showroom to view the work of several designers moving fashion forward on their own terms.

PFW Sabukaru Showroom: The Next Generation

How the British designer is building a new language of masculinity.

Why Menswear Needs Craig Green

Thian Benton Fieulaine

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ARCHIVE.pdf had the opportunity this men’s fashion season to go backstage for two of the most eclectic shows on the calendar and capture the behind the scenes of what it takes to make a spectacle.

Welcoming the Weird: Walter van Beirendonck meets Kidill

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Deep Dive

Born in Tokyo in 1943, Yohji Yamamoto’s childhood was defined by war and global politics. As the son of a war widow, Yamamoto naturally rebelled against the ongoing nationalist culture and pursued the arts, helping his mother Fumi Yamamoto with her small dressmaking shop in Tokyo. The rebellion continued as he developed a passion for martial arts during his early schooling and studies at Bunka Fashion College. His relationships with karate instructor Richard Amos and dance choreographer Pina Bausch elevated his love for martial arts. Before his collaboration with adidas and the creation of Y-3, Yamamoto became a black belt in karate and began to connect his passion for martial arts to his fashion endeavors. With the sportswear titan, Yohji Yamamoto would reintroduce and redefine several silhouettes that focused on boxing, martial arts, and karate. 

Two decades later, these silhouettes have paved the next chapter of adidas Originals: a Low-Profile future.

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Growing up in the rough, gang-ridden neighborhoods of Tokyo, Yohji Yamamoto practiced judo for self-defense. He first went to Yodobashi Police Station to learn from a detective in the juvenile division. Then, when he transferred to Gyosei, a Catholic School, Yamamoto was mocked for being a weak kid. This motivated him to attend Kodokan, a head temple of judo in Central Tokyo to further his skills. However, after graduating from Bunka Fashion College and debuting his namesake brand in Tokyo and Paris, Yohji Yamamoto became too busy to continue his martial arts journey. 

Eight years after the brand’s Paris debut in 1981, Yohji Yamamoto became tired of making clothes; his weight plummeted to around 35kg (77lbs). The constant airplane rides for work were painful for Yamamoto, as work overshadowed his health. Meanwhile, an unexpected connection began to bloom: Yohji’s mother, Fumi Yamamoto, befriended a young British karate instructor who had relocated to Tokyo to train at the headquarters of the Japan Karate Association. The instructor, Richard Amos, started teaching Mrs. Yamamoto English in exchange for home-cooked meals. The more time Amos spent with Fumi-san, the closer he became with the Yamamoto household.

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In 1992, Vogue reached out to Yohji Yamamoto for an article about his life outside of the rigorous fashion schedule. Work had consumed Yamamoto, and at that point, there was little beyond work in his life – he had nothing to say. Searching for an answer, Yamamoto reached out to Richard Amos to do a staged karate performance. The shoot took place during an instructor’s class, and Yamamoto reignited his passion for martial arts. He immediately wanted to train with Amos. The first sessions began in the basement of his Tokyo home, and Yamamoto could barely get through the warmup stretch because he was so out of shape. As they continuously pushed the limits of Yohji’s body, Yamamoto rekindled his childhood love for martial arts and trained four sessions a week. He created a formal JKA (Japanese Karate Association) dojo in his home and named it Azabu-shibu. The brand’s staff joined the weekly training sessions, and Azabu-shibu slowly became a hub for the intelligentsia of Tokyo via Yamamoto’s or Amos’ respective communities. After 5 years, Yohji Yamamoto became a Black Belt in karate and established a beautiful balance between his work and his health. He utilized karate to strengthen his body and mind, falling in love with the artful tension that exists in the serious competition of the sport. 

“I prefer practicing kata (set patterns of movements against an imaginary opponent) rather than kumite (actual combat), and as I'm rather small, I like the fast katas like unsu or empi. My favorite movements are the mawashi-geri (circular kick) or the mawashi-empi uchi (circular poke with the elbow).” - Yohji Yamamoto, New York Times - Side Kick (March 2004)

Yohji Yamamoto (Source: MyClothingArchive)

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Yohji Yamamoto and Richard Amos (Source: Facebook)

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Another major influence on Yohji Yamamoto during his life journey was Pina Bausch. Born in 1940 in Solingen, Germany, Bausch was a dancer and choreographer who helped pioneer the neo-expressionist dance tradition, Tanztheater. When Yamamoto saw Bausch perform, he was in total shock. To him, she represented the perfect silhouette and essence of body movement. Bausch became a muse for Yamamoto and inspired the Spring Summer 1990 collection, fully dedicated to dance. 

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In 1998, Bausch asked Yamamoto to contribute to the 25th anniversary of her dance company in her German hometown, Wuppertal. With no hesitation, Yamamoto pitched “an improvised competitive performance between the physical expression of a dance and karate,” bridging their two worlds together in harmony. For the show, he designed outfits for each of her dancers and brought a group of martial arts experts to collaborate with the performance; Yamamoto even joined the dancers on stage to perform karate. 

The celebration was a beautiful showcase of Bausch’s and Yamamoto’s life passions. 

I-D Magazine No.184 - March 1999 - The Kinetic Issue (Yohji & Karate) (Source: MyClothingArchive)

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The new millennium introduced a unique relationship to the industry: adidas and Yohji Yamamoto. Initially attracted by the imagery of the 3-stripes of the sportswear titan, Yamamoto resonated with the philosophy that adidas continuously showcased through their commitment to ordinary people, not just fashion specialists. He believed in the brand’s philosophy of honoring their original identity and history.

Yamamoto also connected with the low-profile, minimalist silhouettes that adidas was releasing during this period. He added his own vision to these shoes, creating a new perspective on the low-profile adidas models. The first style was the boxing boot, which featured the Yohji Yamamoto signature embroidered on the lateral side panels, a Satin padded tongue, unique materials, and innovative color-blocking. They were worn by models in the FW2001 show, blending the shoe with asymmetrical blousons, wrap style dresses, and oversized tailored coats. The models were dressed for the fashion runway as well as a martial arts sporting competition. This was also one of the first times the fashion runway featured sneakers from a global footwear brand. The relationship was slowly blooming. 


Yohji Yamamoto FW2001 Runway Show featuring newly created boxing shoe (Source: Vogue)

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The adidas SM-II, later renamed the adidas Taekwondo, was a silhouette dedicated to martial arts. The original pairs, first released in 2000, featured an adidas Martial Arts logo, Made in Korea tag, a top lace above the tongue shroud for security, and the famous leather 3D quilting on the toe. The 2003 rendition of the model, the adidas Mei Taekwondo, was a low-profile split-outsole training shoe with a distinct holed tongue. These silhouettes would inspire Yamamoto to create a version named after his initials: YY Mei Brocade.

adidas 'YY Mei Brocade' captured in the adidas Archive

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adidas 'YY Mei Brocade' and adidas 'Taekwondo' captured in the adidas Archive

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adidas 'SM-II' captured at adidas Makerlab

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adidas 'Taekwondo' captured at adidas Makerlab

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adidas 'Taekwondo' Archive Blue (Source: Hartcopy)

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adidas 'Mei Taekwondo' (Source: Hartcopy)

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The adidas YY Mei Brocade featured a split-soled adidas Mei tooling with a fancy Brocade fabric upper. Each pair was unique due to the difference in the pattern of the fabric; no pair shared the same pattern. Initially featured on the runway in the Yohji Yamamoto Women’s SS2002 show, this shoe furthered the relationship between adidas and Yamamoto because this was one of the first times a lifestyle segment was introduced that bridged the gap between fashion and sportswear. Their goal was to revolutionize that relationship with Yohji Yamamoto. 

adidas 'YY Mei Brocade' (Source: MyClothingArchive)

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adidas 'YY Mei Brocade' (Source: Vogue Italia)

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The relationship started with a request for footwear for a runway show. Adidas later requested Yamamoto’s creative expertise for their athleticwear. This led to the development of an entire line, and later led to the creation of Y-3. The collaboration built the foundations for contemporary fashion athleticwear and helped establish a stronger bridge between the fashion runways and the everyday sports. While pioneering fashion athleticwear with Y-3 in the 2000s, Yamamoto became the Chairman of the KWF (Karatenomichi World Federation), an international non-profit karate organization with its headquarters in Tokyo, Japan. In 2007, he provided opening remarks for the 4th KWF World Cup, an international karate tournament. Not only was Yamamoto impacting the fashion and footwear industry, he continued to develop his martial arts community.

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As adidas and Yamamoto furthered their partnership through the 2010s, the martial arts and karate references continued. For the AW2010 runway show, which took place on Valentine’s Day in the Park Avenue Armory theater in New York, Yamamoto saved his best performance for last. He concluded the fashion show with a martial arts fight with fellow designer Jeremy Scott. As they dueled in the middle of the runway stage, it brought back memories of young Yamamoto in the Yodobashi Police Station, Kodokan, and Azabu-shibu with Richard Amos. Yohji ultimately won the fight with a final karate-chop, only to be swiftly taken out by Danish fashion model Freja Beha.

Yamamoto and Y-3 have referenced martial arts in their footwear creations as well. The 2019 Y-3 adidas Taekwondo W was a laceless slip-on low-profile sneaker created for women. With a strong resemblance to the original adidas Taekwondo and YY Mei Brocade, Yamamoto approached this silhouette through the minimalist Y-3 scope. He had this same approach with the Y-3 Boxing Trainers, a shoe inspired by the classic boxing footwear staple, but reimagined with a low-top cut and low-profile rubber outsole. 

All of these silhouettes in the Yohji Yamamoto and Y-3 portfolio are vital precursors to the reintroduction of the Low-Profile family by the adidas Originals team. Styles such as the adidas Mei and adidas Taekwondo play a big role in the Low-Profile storytelling, as the branding remains consistent with the original silhouettes from the adidas archive – the minimalist approach remains the same, decades later. By embracing the legacy and history of these shoes, Yamamoto and adidas are able to tell honest, full-circle stories through their creations. These stories follow Yamamoto’s journey as a Black Belt in karate as well as adidas’ journey through martial arts and the fashion runway.

adidas 'Mei Taekwondo' from the adidas Archive

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adidas 'Spezial Boxing Boot' from the adidas Archive

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The two decades relationship between Yohji Yamamoto and adidas prevails onward. The goal was to redefine a world where fashion and athleticwear coexist in harmony– now, both partners embrace their history together to prepare for the future. 

A Future Focused On Low-Profile.


"I want to work with a sneaker company to create sneakers that don't exist anywhere else." - Yohji Yamamoto, “Sports Brands’ Fashion Style” (May 2002) via MyClothingArchive

[YOHJI YAMAMOTO & KARATE](https://www.myclothingarchive.net/miscellaneous/yohji-yamamoto-karate) - MyClothingArchive
[YOHJI YAMAMOTO AUTUMN/WINTER 2001-2002](https://www.myclothingarchive.net/yohji-yamamoto/autumn-winter-2001-2002) - MyClothingArchive
Chasing Bushido: How I Learned to Just Say Osu (2020) - Richard Amos
Adidas The Story As Told By Those Who Have Lived And Are Living It (2011) - Keith Cooper
I-D Magazine 184 - The Kinetic Issue / GRAND MASTER FLASH (1999)
System Magazine - Yohji-san (2019)
[Interview Magazine - Yohji Yamamoto (2013)](https://www.interviewmagazine.com/fashion/yohji-yamamoto-1) - Wim Wenders
[New York Times - Side Kick (2004)](https://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/14/magazine/side-kick.html) - Yohji Yamamoto
[Asia Nikkei - My Personal History (2022)](https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/My-Personal-History/Yohji-Yamamoto?page=1) - Yohji Yamamoto

ArtV

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Chrome Hearts has risen from the muck of Hollywood and polished itself into something greater.

Chrome Hearts: A Closer Look into a Fashion Enigma

German sportswear meets East Asian fashion. A two decade exploration of adidas, YY, and Y-3.

Elegant Sportswear: A Harmonious Partnership between adidas & Yohji Yamamoto

Letting Alan and Bê tell their amazing stories. It’s time to give them their flowers.

From Boston to the World: A Conversation With Alan & Bê Bilzerian

Exploring Raf Simons’ early furniture designs, revealing a forgotten chapter before his fashion career.

Raf Simons Corpo: Revealing the Furniture that Came Before the Clothing, Part 1

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Two decades later, these silhouettes have paved the next chapter of adidas Originals: a Low-Profile future.

Three Stripes & Black Belts: Yohji Yamamoto's Love For Martial Arts

Exclusive

Finding the joy in fashion seems to be ever more difficult as time passes. Whether it be political events, economic realities or the increasing rarity of genuine novelty within the industry, every fashion week these days is marked with an asterisk reminding us that we unfortunately still exist in the real world. Fashion, at its best, offers an escape: From showing us a new way of being, or taking us to a time that has long since passed– or yet to come – fashion can create alternate realities. Discovering and building these realities is something that Walter van Beirendonck and Kidill achieved remarkably this season. 

Walter van Beirendonck and Kidill both exist between the cracks of the luxury powerhouses that dominate Paris Fashion Week. Both disrupt traditional fashion conventions in favour of finding a counterculture that embraces the alien and the weird: Walter, a legacy Belgian brand that helped define ‘80s queer fashion and ‘90s European rave culture; and Kidill, a relatively newer Japanese label that takes its inspiration from that very same ‘90s aesthetic. Both find a unique approach to what it means to be kitsch in the 21st century.

Walter this season opted for a vision of the future. Rejecting the nostalgia of vintage fashion and bygone subcultures, the designer instead focused on idiosyncratic geometric tailoring paired with beautifully crafted knits and decorated bombers. The intent was clear — create a cast of “Alien Friends”, sent here to gift the ability to see the world in a completely new way. 3D printing and AI generation supplemented English and Scottish textiles with Dutch craftsmanship to create an aesthetic not limited by time, but space and imagination. The show concluded with an extended epilogue where the models positioned themselves on custom Walter van Beirendonck couches, flashing the peace sign with their extended prosthetic fingers. The message was well received, and one hopes that these E.T.s won’t return home.

Kidill was no slouch for theatrics either. The presentation began with a meditative drone from traditional Japanese punk rock group ‘Seppuku Pistols,’ leading into an explosive show opening of loud percussion and even louder clothing. Drawing inspiration from turn of the century Harajuku fashion alongside classic London rave and punk stylings, Kidill avoided the simple recycling of these eras with clothing that felt imagined and repurposed by William Gibson himself. In this world, colour theory has been replaced by colour anarchy, letting synthetic textures and contrasting patterns create a dynamic fashion narrative led by an unforgettable cast.

ARCHIVE.pdf contributing photographer Thian Benton Fieulaine went backstage to capture both of these eclectic shows. The images juxtapose what counterculture can look like from the east and the west, and how fashion can still make us dream– when dreaming seems more difficult than ever. 
