After nearly 40 years at fashion’s cutting edge, today Dries Van Noten announced that he’s stepping down as head of his eponymous label.  “I have been preparing for this moment for a while, and I feel it’s time to leave room for a new generation of talents to bring their vision to the brand,” the Belgian designer wrote on Instagram this morning. His final outing will be the SS25 men’s show, taking place this June at Paris Fashion Week. After that, the designer stated that the following women’s collection “will be made by my studio team with whom I have been working very closely during all these years. I have full confidence that they will do a great job.”

In the same statement, Van Noten also hinted towards succession plans. “In due time, we will announce the designer who will continue the story,” he said, “however, I will stay involved in the house that I treasure so much.”

In a separate statement, Marc Puig, CEO and chairman of DVN’s parent company Puig, paid tribute to Van Noten’s exceptional career. “We respect Dries’ wish to step aside, after an exceptional 38-year career in fashion,” he said. “It is a distinct honor for Puig to now be entrusted with carrying his legacy into the future, and a unique responsibility we will treasure as a new and exciting chapter opens for both Dries and the brand.”

Mr. Puig also echoed Van Noten’s wish for continued involvement in the brand, adding that “the relationship we have with founders, even after their retirement, has long been a defining factor for Puig’s success, and we look forward to continuing our personal and professional friendship as Dries remains involved in the brand to work on certain projects.” As the parent company of brands like Rabanne, Jean Paul Gaultier and Carolina Herrara, Puig’s relationship with those founders is probably a good indication of what Van Noten’s involvement might look like.

Over a period spanning four decades, Van Noten has experienced an incomparable career, graduating from Belgium’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts in 1986. Rising alongside Walter Van Beirendonck, Ann Demeulemeester, Dirk Van Saene, Dirk Bikkembergs, the group became known as the Antwerp Six for their radical and eccentric approach to fashion. Following this, Van Noten continued to accrue accolades for his revolutionary designs, including International Designer of the Year from the CFDA in 2008, and a 2014 retrospective at The Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris.

In the heartfelt Instagram post shared today, the designer reflected on his overarching journey in fashion. “As a young guy from Antwerp, my dream was to have a voice in fashion,” he said. “Through a journey that brought me to London, Paris and beyond, and with the help of countless supportive people, that dream came true. Now I want to shift my focus to all the things I never had the time for. I’m sad, but at the same time happy.”