Dries Van Noten appoints Adrian Ward-Rees as new president
The former Moncler Grenoble executive will lead the Antwerp fashion house starting December 1, taking over from Axel Keller.
Dries Van Noten has appointed Adrian Ward-Rees as its next president, effective December 1, the Puig-owned fashion house announced on Friday. Ward-Rees, who joins from Moncler Grenoble where he held the title of chief business officer, replaces Axel Keller. Keller will stay on through year-end to assist with the leadership transition.
His previous roles include positions at Burberry, Dior Homme, Amiri and Nike, as well as stints at retailers Selfridges and Lane Crawford, according to his professional profile.
Keller’s five-year tenure
Under Keller’s leadership, Dries Van Noten expanded its physical presence with flagship locations in New York and London. The house also introduced a gallery retail model, launching such spaces in Paris, Brussels, Milan and Kyoto. Keller’s tenure included work to broaden the accessories assortment and strengthen wholesale, retail and digital operations internationally.
Keller was instrumental when the house transitioned its creative direction in 2024. The company said he worked with leadership and teams to ensure continuity as Julian Klausner took on the creative director role following founder Dries Van Noten’s departure from the position.
Momentum under Klausner
The president transition arrives at a moment of commercial strength for the house. In the first half of 2026, Dries Van Noten achieved double-digit sales expansion, surpassing parent company Puig’s overall 4.4 percent like-for-like growth across the group for the same period.
José Manuel Albesa, Puig’s chief executive, discussed the house’s trajectory at the group’s Capital Markets Day earlier this week. He noted that Klausner, who spent five years working alongside founder Dries Van Noten, has brought a contemporary sensibility to the brand while maintaining its core identity. Albesa outlined plans to expand the retail footprint by opening two to three locations annually, focusing on carefully selected sites that reflect the house’s positioning as a destination brand.
This article was compiled by the Glamorade editorial desk from the official announcements and reporting listed under Sources.
