The location gave it away. Entitled “Behind the Curtain”and held in Paris’ historical Opéra Garnier, new designer Julian Klausner presented his first runway collection for Dries Van Noten F/W 2025. Since Van Noten left last year after 30 plus years at his own brand, someone from the inner circle was appointed as creative director which often goes very well, i.e., Michele at Gucci or even Chiuri and Piccioli at Valentino. Judging from his look book for the men’s season and now after seeing this runway debut, dare we say he is heading into a very good direction. Klausner was inspired by women walking around the opera, using what they might find there as clothing. There were a lot of shoelaces as a sort of magnified stitching yarn in the opening look around the collar and lapel of a floor-sweeping wool coat or around the edge of big leather belts that were used in a lot of looks to give an hourglass silhouette. A dizzying number of different prints was there some used in halter-neck dresses that looked like a patchwork of up-cycled jacket-linings.

Julian Klausner’s runway debut

Also, coats made from thick, almost carpet like jacquard weaves, lots of Polka dots or even a black and white cow skin looking bomber-jacket with puffy sleeves worn with the best silky skirt of the season so far. The attention to detail in some of these intricately beaded grid-tops worn under tailoring or on top of blouses or even almost every button being covered by fabric let Klausner seem like a serious designer focused on his craft. The pops of color as in the violet trench-coat were very fresh and brightened the mood of the collection that had a bit of a grunge feel and finally, a show with no fur just for the sake of fur. What a relief. There were some hairy moments though: in the use of curtain-tassels towards the end of the collection tying it all back into the concept of women at the Opera for example.

Violet trench coat