- Belgian fashion designer Dries Van Noten has announced a new cultural non-profit devoted to craftsmanship in Venice, Italy.
- Fondazione Dries Van Noten will launch in April 2026, occupying the historic 15th-century Palazzo Pisani Moretta on Venice’s Grand Canal.
- The new venture arrives less than two years after Van Noten announced his retirement from the fashion industry, where he spent more than 35 years as a designer, garment maker and creative director.
- The industry legend has revealed that, once opened, Fondazione Dries Van Noten will host exhibitions, residencies, and events intended to drive cultural discussion around historically distinct craft techniques and categories.
When Dries Van Noten bid a triumphant farewell at Paris Fashion Week in 2024, we knew it wouldn’t be a final goodbye. Over almost four decades in the industry, the Belgian mogul had demonstrated a remarkable ability to adapt, reinvent and revolutionise contemporary fashion, often drawing from the design codes of the past. His shock retirement at just 65 felt like less like the closing of a final chapter, and more like the opening of a fresh one. At long last, that next venture is set to be unveiled.
In April 2026, the fashion legend will fling open the doors of Fondazione Dries Van Noten, a new cultural non-profit devoted to craftsmanship, heritage and contemporary creative practice. Occupying the historic 15th-century Palazzo Pisani Moretta on Venice’s Grand Canal, the foundation aims to celebrate, sustain and platform endangered crafts.
Speaking with Wallpaper Magazine, Van Noten explained that the idea for the foundation had been brewing for over a decade, however, time constraints and the challenges of operating a large-scale business had prevented him from taking the leap. With the label now under the watchful eye of Puig, the industry legend is able to fulfil what he describes as a lifelong ambition.
“Craftsmanship, for me, is a lot of different things. It’s things that you do with your hands, yes, but also with your soul.“
“I always knew I wanted to do something else in my life – fashion is very full on, you can’t do anything else,“ he told Wallpaper. “I wanted to give back, to show people the beauty of craftsmanship. And maybe young people will want to learn it, continue it, appreciate it.“
Fondazione Dries Van Noten
For Van Noten, the thought of defending arts and craftsmanship is almost instinctive. The Belgian fashion designer was born into a family of garment workers and stepped into the trade via Antwerp’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts before launching his first collection in 1986.
His profound mastery of the technical components of design afforded Van Noten a unique position in the world of high fashion; he was, in a very real sense, the bridge between classic and contemporary attitudes. As he revealed, Fondazione Dries Van Noten will be very much the same.
Conceived by Van Noten and partner Patrick Vangheluwe, the Fondazione champions a shared belief in the cultural impact of craftsmanship. When officially open to the public in April, the non-profit will highlight the innovative work of both established and emerging voices across art, fashion, architecture and related fields. A statement of intent penned by the creators revealed that Fondazione Dries Van Noten will be more than just a static museum; it will be a “a living, evolving hub where ideas circulate as freely as the tides“.
Importantly, the new arts foundation will go beyond merely platforming and celebrating the works of artists. The non-profit will reportedly commit to sustaining heritage craftsmanship, with a particular emphasis on placing Venetian traditions in active dialogue with international creative practice; a nod to Venice’s storied history of creative exchange through Europe and beyond.
The hope, Van Noten told Wallpaper, was to prove that the Italian city is home to much more than just nostalgia and tourism. He noted Venice “is not just a weekend destination, but a living city… there’s a lot of young people coming back now to Venice, and something is bubbling here.“
Palazzo Pisani Moretta
As you might expect from the master of style, the arts foundation isn’t without its own unique beauty. Housed within the famed Palazzo Pisani Moretta, a 15th-century structure in the Venetian Gothic Fiorito style, the foundation fully embraces the concept of traditional craftsmanship. Artworks by Giambattista Tiepolo, Jacopo Guarana, Gaspare Diziani, and Giuseppe Angeli hang in the halls, while Chiara Pisani’s lavish Rococo decorations remain remarkably intact.
That’s not to say the building is without any need for improvement. Architect Alberto Torsello is safeguarding the palazzo’s architectural legacy, working to preserve the original features and restore the structure to its former glory. As Van Noten explained to Wallpaper, however, authenticity is key. “Everything is still intact – an incredible ensemble of craftsmanship of that period. The last thing we want to do is put our stamp on it.“
Fondazione Dries Van Noten is set to open in April 2026, just in time for the 61st Venice Biennale in May. A full program of upcoming exhibitions, residencies and events will be revealed closer to launch, however, Van Noten has already suggested that modern technological elements such as 3D printing and artificial intelligence won’t be barred. The Belgian designer truly is the bridge between generations.
