Dries Van Noten names Adrian Ward-Rees as president
The Antwerp house hires a Moncler Grenoble executive as president from 1 December. Axel Keller steps down after five years.
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Antwerp's Dries Van Noten has a new president. On Friday 30 October 2026 the house, owned by Spanish group Puig, said that Adrian Ward-Rees will take over on 1 December. He succeeds Axel Keller, who is stepping down after five years in the role and will stay on until the end of the year to help with the handover, WWD and Vogue report.
Who is Adrian Ward-Rees?
The British executive comes from Moncler Grenoble, the brand's ski and performance line, where he has been chief business officer since October 2024. According to FashionNetwork, he has more than 30 years of experience. He started as a buyer and merchandiser at Selfridges, worked at Nike and Speedo, ran Dior Homme as managing director, spent three years as a senior vice president at Burberry and became CEO of Amiri in 2023. WWD also lists Lane Crawford on his CV.
Keller's five years
In its statement, the house credited Keller with growing its retail, wholesale and digital business, expanding accessories and strengthening its presence abroad. He oversaw new flagships in New York and London and the "Gallery" stores for beauty and accessories, with Brussels, Milan and Kyoto among them. The house also said he helped steer its creative succession, when Julian Klausner was named creative director in 2024 after Dries Van Noten stepped back from design.
A brand that is growing
The timing is good. Puig does not publish figures per brand, but WWD reports that Dries Van Noten grew revenue by double digits in the first half of 2026, faster than the group as a whole. Vogue reports that Puig CEO José Manuel Albesa told reporters the plan is to open two to three new stores a year.
Why it matters
Dries Van Noten is one of Belgium's best-known fashion names, famous for its prints and bold colour mixes. A commercial specialist at the top, alongside a creative director whose collections are selling, suggests more stores and more reach for an Antwerp house.
Source
Original reporting: WWD.
Also reported by: Vogue, FashionNetwork.
This is a short summary in our own words. Names and facts are as reported by the sources above; Wardrobe Compass has no commercial relationship with the brands mentioned.
