The grand opening of Fondazione Dries Van Noten

During the grand opening of Fondazione Dries Van Noten on May 6th in Venice, I had the pleasure of speaking with Dries Van Noten about his visionary new presentation, The Only True Protest Is Beauty, hosted inside the magnificent Palazzo Pisani Moretta.

As a fashion specialist, I was deeply inspired by his reflection on beauty as a powerful and emotional form of expression — not simply aesthetic, but a way to challenge conventions and reconnect craftsmanship with humanity. The exhibition creates an extraordinary dialogue between fashion, art, jewellery, ceramics, photography, and collectible design, featuring works by artists and creators including Peter Buggenhout, Steven Shearer, Christian Lacroix, Rei Kawakubo for Comme des Garçons, Ayham Hassan, Misha Kahn, Hubert Duprat, Isaac Monté and Ritsue Mishima, among many others.

Dries Van Noten described the project as “an invitation to look longer, to feel emotion through making, and to rediscover beauty as a subtle act of protest.” The atmosphere throughout the palazzo was both poetic and disruptive, perfectly embodying his timeless vision of culture, craftsmanship, and innovation

Cristina Vittoria Egger