After graduating from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp as part of the famous Antwerp Six, Van Noten released his first collection in 1986. 'I was doing something different than other designers,' he says. 'I showed delicate, fine dresses with rose prints'. Over the years, Dries has not betrayed his principles: textured fabrics, bright colors, and prints remain the basis of the collections. He takes ideas for the latter from his garden — literally. The designer adores flowers and grows them in his own garden. Over time, roses, peonies, and hydrangeas move from the Belgian village to the Parisian catwalk.