Dries Van Noten Shatters Gender Norms with Ballet Flats

Belgian fashion house Dries Van Noten has unveiled a Spring/Summer 2027 menswear collection that challenges traditional gender boundaries, with creative director Julian Klausner putting laced leather ballet flats for men at center stage. Presented on June 25 at the Tennis Club of Paris during Paris Men’s Fashion Week, the collection marks Klausner’s boldest statement yet in his tenure as creative director.

A Poetic Inspiration

Klausner drew inspiration from Stéphane Mallarmé’s 1876 poem “Afternoon of a Faun” (L’après-midi d’un faune), which tells the story of a faun — a half-man, half-animal mythical creature — waking from a forest nap in a dreamlike haze. The poem was later adapted into a ballet by Vaslav Nijinsky for the Ballets Russes, set to music by Claude Debussy. This ballet connection directly inspired the collection’s most talked-about element: ballet flats designed for men.

“I had a wish for something light, something delicate,” Klausner told WWD during a preview. “The idea was to start from very identifiable masculine garments and transform them into something much more delicate, soft and comforting.”

The Collection

The SS27 collection features light silhouettes, pastel tones, sheer shirts, shorts with forest prints, and transparent fabrics. Klausner employed acetates, viscose, washed silks, chiffon, watery nylons, and sheer stocking-weight knits to create what he described as a “very floaty feeling.” Beyond the ballet flats, the footwear range included leather sandals, leopard-print Oxfords, and structured ankle boots.

The show unfolded during one of Paris’ hottest weeks on record, with temperatures surpassing 40°C (104°F). The extreme heat ironically suited the collection’s languid, dreamlike atmosphere. As Dazed noted, “Klausner’s work often displays a softer approach to masculinity, but this was arguably the most feminine menswear collection we’ve seen from his time at the brand.”

Critical Acclaim

The collection received overwhelmingly positive reviews. WWD’s Miles Socha praised Klausner’s color mastery, writing that he “threw down a gauntlet — in butter-soft caramel leather, with a matching clutch bag to boot — about who is the most daring and nimble colorist in menswear.” Le Figaro reported that no designer received more applause during Paris Fashion Week.

Klausner explained his color choices to Le Figaro: “Everything is traversed by a strong sensuality, a very subtle eroticism. This atmosphere influenced our color palette evoking makeup, powdery pinks and flesh tones.” The prints in the collection, he said, were “interpretations of photographs taken on my phone or those of the team: flowers, a sunset on a lake, beautiful landscapes, happy memories.”

The Klausner Era

This was Klausner’s third men’s show since his appointment as creative director in December 2024, following the retirement of founder Dries Van Noten. The Austrian-born, Belgian-educated designer joined the Dries Van Noten team in 2018 and worked closely with the founder on womenswear collections before his promotion. As Het Laatste Nieuws reported, the collection represents a resolute break with stereotypical gender wardrobes.

A Broader Shift

The collection arrives amid a broader cultural shift toward gender-fluid fashion. Major houses including Gucci, Saint Laurent, and Louis Vuitton have increasingly blurred traditional gender boundaries. Saint Laurent’s SS27 menswear show featured sheer, translucent shoes for men, while the “balletcore” trend — inspired by ballet aesthetics — has been gaining momentum in womenswear and is now crossing into menswear.

What’s Next

As Klausner continues to establish his distinct creative voice while honoring the house’s legacy, the fashion world will be watching to see whether men’s ballet flats become a commercial reality. The collection raises questions about the future of gendered fashion retail and whether other designers will follow with similar gender-fluid footwear for men. For now, Klausner has made one thing clear: at Dries Van Noten, the boundaries between masculine and feminine are not just blurring — they are dissolving.