Puig Partners With The Dries Van Noten Foundation

Established following the designer’s departure from his eponymous fashion house in 2024, the Foundation is presented as a space dedicated to dialogue between art, fashion, design, photography and music, with a particular focus on craftsmanship and know-how as a universal language.

For Puig, this partnership is part of a trajectory of sustained growth. In 2025, the group recorded a turnover of approximately €5.0 billion, up by nearly 8%, driven by the momentum of its prestige brands and solid profitability. This performance confirms Puig’s position among the most dynamic players in the listed European luxury sector, resulting in an excellent capacity to invest in cultural initiatives.

Alongside this partnership, it is worth noting the recent ties between Puig and the American group Estée Lauder. The commercial interest on both sides is clear: for Estée Lauder, whose “Beauty Reimagined” restructuring plan involves thousands of job cuts in 2026, this would help to revive its growth after several difficult financial years, particularly in China and in travel retail. For Puig, which brings a highly desirable portfolio in premium perfumery and beauty, with brands such as Carolina Herrera, Rabanne, Jean Paul Gaultier, Byredo, Penhaligon’s, Dr. Barbara Sturm and Charlotte Tilbury, this would give it international distribution power. No final decision has yet been reached, as discussions remain open, particularly on financial and governance issues.

The Dries Van Noten Foundation, for its part, positions itself as an independent platform with an international focus. Its model is based on a programme of presentations, residencies and educational initiatives bringing together artists, designers, craftspeople and emerging talents. The aim is to create a space for exchange where creativity is not viewed as an isolated discipline, but as a genuine relational system.

José Manuel Albesa, CEO of Puig, emphasises that creativity is a strategic pillar of Puig and that this partnership will have a very positive impact on the group’s brands. He stresses the commitment to supporting projects capable of generating a lasting cultural impact, beyond their event-based nature. He adds: “This partnership reflects the enduring ties we maintain with the founders of our Love Brands and our commitment to promoting creativity throughout society.”

Dries Van Noten describes his foundation as a meeting place for ideas, craftsmanship and imagination, designed to advance contemporary forms of creation. The Venetian project thus continues a long-term collaboration with Puig, a collaboration that now extends beyond the realm of fashion and has firmly entered an institutional dynamic.