Belgian designer Dries Van Noten has revealed an ambitious new “personal” project in his post-runway career: a project in Venice dedicated to craftsmanship and art.
He has acquired Palazzo Pisani Moretta, a 15th-century landmark on the Grand Canal that he has earmarked for an independent project spanning heritage, craftsmanship and cultural dialogue, according to a press release issued Monday.
“The project is about Venice, history, craft, culture and creating something contemporary with deep respect for what came before,” Van Noten said in the release, noting that more details would be shared in early September.
Van Noten acquired the palazzo from Maurizio Sammartini and his sister Gerolama Sammartini.
Financial terms were not disclosed; however, local daily Il Gazzettino pegged the historic building’s value at 36 million euros.
“The Palazzo Pisani Moretta has always been a symbol of our family’s deep connection to Venice, its history, and its craft,” Maurizio Sammartini commented. “Restoring and protecting this incredible building has been a privilege, ensuring it remains a living part of the city’s cultural fabric.
“I am confident that Dries and Patrick, with their respect for both tradition and innovation, will guide the palazzo into the future while preserving its storied past and I deeply thank them to have the courage to accept this challenging commitment for Venice,” Sammartini added, referring to Van Noten’s partner and creative wingman Patrick Vangheluwe.
Van Noten hinted he had extracurricular projects up his sleeves when he took his final runway bow last June, though he continues to consult on stores and beauty products with his namesake fashion house, owned by Spain’s Puig.
“I have a lot of ideas and projects in my head, because I really want a lot of young people around me in my studio,” he told WWD at the time.
According to the release, Van Noten’s project at the historic landmark “will be shaped through ongoing dialogue between artists and artisans, and will include exhibitions and presentations, offering a platform for contemporary work and inviting the public into a place where heritage is respected and thoughtfully reimagined for future generations.”
The Palazzo Pisani Moretta was built in a Gothic floral style — words which have a perfume of Van Noten’s fashion sensibility — and it was expanded by the family around 1730.
“The interiors were enriched with Baroque splendor by some of the most celebrated Venetian artists of the 18th century, including Giambattista Tiepolo, Jacopo Guarana, Gaspare Diziani, and Giuseppe Angeli,” the release said.
The palazzo was restored in recent decades by Maurizio Sammartini, a descendant of the Pisani Moretta family.