Dries Van Noten was born in Antwerp, Belgium in 1958. He is the third generation in a family of tailors. He attended Antwerp’s Royal Academy where he studied fashion design. After graduating, he freelanced as a consultant designer and then launched his own line of menswear in 1986. He currently presents collections twice a year for both men and women. All of his designs are ready to wear, and he does not advertise. He has dressed celebrities such as Cate Blanchette and Maggie Gyllenhaal.