Dries Van Noten's First U.S. Flagship in L.A. Is a Community-Minded Mecca for Fashion, Art, and Music
The Belgian designer took over Opening Ceremony's former space.
View Gallery
53 Photos
28208
28233
28216
28234
28235
28236
28210
28237
28238
28217
28218
28215
28239
28240
28241
28243
28242
28244
28220
28222
28221
28223
28245
28246
28224
28247
28248
28249
28214
28250
28225
28251
28252
28253
28254
28255
28256
28257
28229
28213
28258
28226
28212
28259
28227
28228
28261
28262
28263
28264
28265
28268
28267
Los Angeles' style scene may have lost Opening Ceremony, but now it's won over another cult-cool name in fashion in its place — and in the midst of a pandemic, no less. After popping up at the now-shuttered retailer in West Hollywood last year, Belgian designer Dries Van Noten has transformed the entire double-decker space into his first-ever U.S. boutique, marking his seventh and largest standalone outpost and largest in the world.
Open as of last Friday, Oct. 9, the 8,500-square-foot space is "a haven for creative encounter and gathering experiences that embraces the creative pulse of Los Angeles and its creative and fashion community. These experiences can be as light-hearted as they can be profound, yet they will always be welcoming to all and informal," according to a release.
Translation? A light-filled concept boutique and event space that showcases the star-beloved, fashion rebel designer's complete print-happy ready-to-wear collections alongside vintage pieces and contemporary art, as well as music, books, and magazines that have inspired DVN himself. It comes as no surprise, given that he's known for his print-happy, avant-garde silhouettes and for eschewing industry norms such as the traditional seasonal schedule.
"Especially in the times we are living now, it was quite clear that we had to rethink what shopping can be; what a store can be," the designer recently explained in a Q&A video. "It was really an interesting thought process to see how can we mix clothes with art, with music, with food. All of these different things which are so present in L.A., and because it was such a big space, it was an opportunity to invite young artists to create a community. "
The first floor features womenswear and the Archive Room, which offers clothing and accessories from past seasons, including the '90s — a first for DVN's brick-and-mortar stores. Post-COVID (whenever that may be), customers can also re-sell their own pre-loved Dries pieces to the store; the garments will be "restored and refreshed" before they hit the sales floor.
"It's not only about sustainability," the designer explains in his video. "A beautiful garment stays beautiful, even if other people have been wearing it. And I like the idea [of having] new and old clothes together in the same store."
The second floor houses menswear and a "Sound & Vision" listening area where guests a curated selection of music hand-picked by different talents each month (the debut curation is by Belgian producer duo 2 Many DJs. Next month's vinyl playlist will be helmed by Devendra Banhart, who Van Noten say is "typical L.A." (We're guessing that's a compliment.)
Also upstairs is a mix of rare, new, and used magazines, books, and vinyl that have served as inspiration for Van Noten's past collections. Eventually, the second floor will serve up small bites and drinks from its kitchen.
Calling the City of Angels "a hub of creativity," Van Noten explains in the video that the former Opening Ceremony boutique — often said to be Charlie Chaplin's old dance studio — was "the perfect opportunity." He calls it "full adventure," from the garden entrance to art painted à la graffiti on the walls.
Van Noten's Stateside flagship pays homage to his botanical leanings and creative interests, as well as the store's sunny Cali surroundings. Lush greenery lines the entrance, while the interiors are decorated with fresh blooms alongside translucent floral photography placed over the windows by Japanese artist (and DVN collaborator) Azuma Makoto. The designer also commissioned blacksmiths in Japan to make gardening tools sold exclusively at the store.
A grand Steinway piano in the entry room is open for anyone — from visiting shoppers to professional musicians — to play, and a sculptural yellow sofa nearby is ready to seat listeners. The idea was to give guests the feeling of "[arriving] in somebody's private house, you are invited by somebody."
The antique-meets-industrial store features vintage and upcycled furnishings and fixtures, including installations by Rotterdam-based artist Johan Viladrich. The space also showcases art and multimedia exhibitions that complement Van Noten's latest collections. Currently on display is fine jewelry by designer Allan Crocetti, which you'll find being "worn" by sculptures and busts by Czech artist Richard Stipl.
A vibrant mural by Jan Gatewood rounds out the Big House's event room; in his interview video, Van Noten explains that the art will be "applied directly to the walls… we didn't want to have that gallery feeling where everything is so mercantile."
The boutique's detached '50s-built bungalow (a.k.a. the Little House) will act as a pop-up shop, which is now hosting fellow "Antwerp Six" designer Ann Demeulemeester's porcelain tableware and lighting collaboration with Serax. The collection will be on offer for the next five weeks.
The designer's eponymous label is stocked at high-end department retailers including Saks and Bergdorf Goodman in the U.S. and Selfridges and Harvey Nichols in Europe. He also has standalone flagships in Antwerp, Hong Kong, Paris, Shanghai, and Singapore. In 2018, he sold a majority stake of his brand to Puig.
Unable to fly to the U.S. during the pandemic, Van Noten worked with his on-the-ground team via FaceTime. "I'm [there] every evening 'visiting' the store," he explains. "I really miss that I can't be there with my whole team, who worked so hard to make this happen."
And work hard they did, if the stunning space is any indication — scroll through the gallery to take a virtual tour before you pay a visit IRL.
Dries Van Noten, 451 North La Cienega Blvd., L.A., 90048; Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily and Sunday from 12 to 5 p.m.; (310) 880-6125
