If you’re a hardcore fashion enthusiast, you know Dries Van Noten’s departure from his eponymous label in March 2024 practically ignited the industry-wide mass exodus among creative directors. In the weeks following Van Noten’s grand exit, Pierpaolo Piccioli, Virginie Viard, and Peter Hawkings stepped down from their respective posts at Valentino, Chanel, and Tom Ford. While Piccioli, Viard, and Hawkings have moved on to other ventures, Van Noten is still deeply engrained in the success of his brand. Most recently, the Belgium designer helped open Dries Van Noten’s first standalone store on New York’s iconic Mercer Street.

Over the weekend, the Belgium-based brand made its New York debut in SoHo, alongside luxury neighbors like Alaïa, Balenciaga, and Khaite. “The location I think is really good,” Van Noten told Vogue in an exclusive interview. “And the volume makes it quite special. It’s narrow: just six meters wide, but it’s 30 meters deep, and it’s seven meters high.” According to Vogue, the label’s search for the right location took 15 years. Inside the SoHo storefront, guests are greeted by a “refined retail experience,” inspired by “the energy of Manhattan whilst blending a sense of the House history,” the brand shared in a press release. Ready-to-wear collections for men and women cover the walls, while an impressive curation of artworks reflect “the namesake designer’s time-honored gentle approach to collecting, displaying, and moderating objects considered precious.” In collaboration with Van Noten, the new creative director, Julian Klausner collected antiques and art for the store. 16th century French and English paintings, torchères from the late Iris Apfel’s collection, and creations from Belgian artist Ben Storms are especially eye-catching.

If you’ve been to Van Noten’s stores in London or Los Angeles, prepare for an entirely new experience in NYC. “Every store for us has to be special,” the Belgium creative told Vogue. “It’s not that we have a formula that we want to apply in every city in the world. We really listen to the building and the city we’re in.” In Van Noten’s words, the SoHo spot feels like a “theater,” with historic brick walls, exposed joists, and spotlight fixtures. At the back of the store stands a distressed gold-leaf wall, which pays homage to the silver runway of his final show during the Spring/Summer 2025 menswear circuit. With subtle accents like the gold structure, the NYC shop combines Van Noten’s historic legacy with Klausner’s exciting evolution.

After months of constant construction, the Dries Van Noten store is finally open for visitors. So, stop by the SoHo location ASAP — especially if you’re a fan of Klausner’s first RTW collection.