By Samuel Van Der Blom
A squared, warehouse-like industrial set framed Julian Klausner’s Spring/Summer 2027 collection for Dries Van Noten, staged with four surrounding walls and minimal interruption beyond a few central pillars. The space felt deliberately exposed, leaving the runway open and unembellished, shifting focus to movement and construction rather than spectacle.
The collection opened in grounded tones—dusty sand, clay, and muted earth colours—anchoring the first looks in a restrained palette. As the soundscape shifted, so did the garments: watery blues with fluid prints followed, then darker ash-toned tailoring interrupted by fire-like sequin detailing. The sequence continued into lighter territory with cloud-printed trousers and scarves wrapped loosely around the torso, moving through the four elements—earth, water, fire, air—without strict linearity.
Silhouettes remained largely relaxed. Coats moved freely with the body, low-cut tank tops exposed the chest and shoulders, and flat ballerina shoes softened the pace of the show. The overall effect was one of looseness in construction rather than overt structure, with layering doing most of the compositional work.
Menswear codes were consistently softened and disrupted. Leather boots were paired with fluid silk tops, while sequins appeared intermittently across otherwise restrained looks, introducing contrast rather than decoration. These interventions prevented the collection from settling into a fixed register of masculinity, instead keeping it in flux between utility, ornament, and softness.
The collection stayed intentionally unrigid in silhouette, with garments often appearing layered rather than constructed as singular statements. Prints—panther, snake, and cloud motifs—appeared across clothing and accessories, reinforcing a shifting visual language rather than a dominant theme.
Overall, Klausner’s latest offering framed menswear through a more porous set of references. Elements associated with softness and decoration were not treated as contrast but as integrated components of the wardrobe, repositioning masculine dress codes through variation rather than opposition.