DESIGN DISPATCH

Dries Van Noten Appoints Julian Klausner as Creative Director, and Other News

Plus, a new arts foundation seeks to support museum workers, and Ikea announces a Niels Gammelgaard comeback.

Julian Klausner

Dries Van Noten appoints house designer Julian Klausner as the next creative director.

Dries Van Noten has appointed Julian Klausner as its new creative director, overseeing both men’s and women’s collections. The appointment of Klausner, a 33-year-old Belgian designer who joined the house in 2018, embodies continuity with the brand’s heritage with his debut women’s collection set to premiere during Paris Fashion Week in March 2025.

A new, first of its kind foundation funnels its efforts into supporting museum workers.

Allison Berg’s A&L Berg Foundation supports underrepresented visual arts professionals through mentorship, grants, and career development. The fellowship, which selects six curators, educators, or administrators annually, provides financial assistance, expenses-paid access to major art events, and guidance on navigating the elitist art world. By fostering inclusivity and amplifying diverse voices, Berg aims to reshape the leadership and narratives within U.S. cultural institutions.

Courtesy of Ikea.

Next year, Ikea will bring back its fan-favorite Niels Gammelgaard vintage shelving.

Ikea is reviving its Niels Gammelgaard shelving unit, a favorite among vintage design enthusiasts, as part of its Nytillverkad collection launching in February 2025. The collection reintroduces bold, colorful updates to pieces designed in the 1960s to 1990s, with highlights including Byakorre shelves with reversible multicolored edging and other reimagined classics.

In the United States, building rates for multifamily apartment buildings are at a new low.

Multifamily apartment construction in the United States during 2024 dropped to its lowest levels since 2013, with just 804,000 units under construction by October. The figure marks a 19.2 percent decline from the previous year. The gap between housing starts and completions has widened to its largest since 1974, signaling significant delays in the sector.  

European architecture firms reveal their gingerbread builds in time for festive season.

In Europe, holiday season gingerbread architecture has become a platform for creativity, merging culinary artistry with design innovation. Events like London’s The Gingerbread City and Sweden’s ArkDes competition feature imaginative structures crafted by architects, designers, and amateurs, often exploring themes like sustainability and urban transformation. This tradition elevates gingerbread from a holiday treat to a medium for architectural expression and cultural dialogue.

Courtesy of the North Face.

Today’s attractive distractions:

Skims’ North Face collaboration rakes in $5.4 million in media impact.

Here’s how to work Pantone’s Mocha Mousse into your wardrobe rotation.

Louise Giovanelli reflects on her role in Manchester’s rising art scene.

Once again, U.S.-based TikTok creators are “bracing” for the app’s ban.

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