Dries Van Noten Names Moncler Grenoble's Adrian Ward-Rees as Its Next President

The Belgian fashion house Dries Van Noten has a new president. The Puig-owned label announced on Friday, October 30, that Adrian Ward-Rees will take over the role, according to Vogue. He succeeds Axel Keller, who is stepping down after more than five years with the company.

Ward-Rees, a British executive, joins from Moncler Grenoble, the performance and ski line of the luxury outerwear brand Moncler, where he served as chief business officer for a little over two years. He officially begins at Dries Van Noten on December 1. Keller will remain with the house until the new year to support the handover.

A Steady Handover at a Good Moment

The change comes while the house is on a strong run. Vogue reports that collections by creative director Julian Klausner have been enjoying both critical and commercial success, with the brand logging double digit growth in 2026.

That context matters. Leadership changes at luxury houses often follow a difficult season or a creative exit. This one arrives with momentum, and the task for Ward-Rees will be to build on it rather than repair anything.

The timing of the handover, with the outgoing president staying on into the new year, is also typical of a carefully planned transition. It gives buyers, partners and the house's own teams continuity through the important end of year selling period.

What Axel Keller Built

During his tenure, Dries Van Noten opened flagship stores in New York and London, and led its gallery retail concept in Brussels, Milan and Kyoto. Keller also played a key role in the creative succession of the house, supporting the appointment of Klausner as creative director in 2024 after Dries Van Noten himself decided to step down from the role.

Creative succession is one of the hardest tests any designer led house faces. Founders carry a vision that customers trust, and handing that vision to someone new can unsettle a brand. At Dries Van Noten, Klausner had worked closely with the founder for five years before taking over, which helped keep the house's identity intact.

Puig's Plans for the House

Puig, the Spanish fashion and beauty group that owns the label, has been clear about where it wants Dries Van Noten to go next. Speaking to reporters at the group's Capital Markets Day on Wednesday, Puig chief executive Jose Manuel Albesa praised the continuity Klausner brought.

"With the arrival of Julian Klausner, who worked very closely with Dries for the last five years, we have this continuity in the brand DNA with a modern edge, which brings an amazing new vibe to the brand," Albesa said, as reported by Vogue.

He also described a measured approach to growth. "We plan to accelerate retail [expansion] little by little, in the right places," he said. "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."

Why a President Matters in a Fashion House

In most luxury houses, the creative director shapes the collections while the president or chief executive runs the business around them. That means stores, wholesale partners, pricing, staffing, supply and expansion into new markets.

For a destination brand opening only two or three stores a year, each location carries weight. Choosing the right city, the right street and the right building can define how customers experience the house for years. Ward-Rees arrives from a performance focused line with a commercial background, and he will now help steer that careful retail growth alongside Klausner's creative direction.

What to Watch Next

The coming months will show how the new leadership shapes the next phase. Store openings, the house's presence in key markets and the balance between clothing and accessories are all areas to follow as Ward-Rees settles in.

For now, the message from Dries Van Noten and Puig is one of continuity: a strong creative team, a growing business and a new president tasked with carrying both forward. L'éclat will continue to follow the leadership changes reshaping the luxury world.

Source: Vogue, reporting by Laure Guilbault, October 30, 2026.