Dries Van Noten has officially announced a leadership transition at the Puig-owned fashion and beauty house, naming Adrian Ward-Rees as its next president. The British executive will succeed Axel Keller, who is departing after more than five years with the company. Ward-Rees brings experience from Moncler Grenoble, where he served as chief business officer for the luxury outdoors brand's performance and ski line for just over two years.
Ward-Rees is scheduled to officially assume his role on December 1. To ensure a smooth transition, Keller will remain at the house until the new year to support the handover process. During his tenure, Keller worked closely with leadership and creative teams to develop the brand's retail, wholesale, and digital activities while strengthening its international presence and expanding its accessories offering.
Under Keller's oversight, the brand opened flagship stores in New York and London and led the implementation of its gallery retail concept in Brussels, Milan, and Kyoto. Additionally, he played a key role in the house's creative succession, accompanying the appointment of Julian Klausner as creative director in 2024 following Dries Van Noten's decision to step down from that role.
This leadership change occurs as Klausner's collections achieve both critical and commercial success, with the brand logging double-digit growth in 2026. Ward-Rees will now be tasked with furthering this momentum. Speaking during the group's Capital Markets Day on Wednesday, Puig CEO Jose Manuel Albesa highlighted the continuity of the brand DNA combined with a modern edge brought by Klausner, who worked closely with Dries Van Noten for the last five years.
Albesa outlined plans to accelerate retail expansion gradually in strategic locations, noting that as a destination brand, finding unique spaces is a special and time-consuming process. The company aims to open two to three new stores per year.
Sources: Vogue.