Belgian "poet of fabrics" takes on Venetian monument. He has special plans for it

Belgian designer Dries Van Noten, known for his refined aesthetic and passion for craftsmanship, is embarking on a new chapter in his career. After retiring and selling his brand to Spanish company Puig, Van Noten and his partner Patrick Vangheluwe set out to transform the unique Venetian monument.

Palazzo Pisani Moretta is a jewel of Venetian architecture, combining a Gothic façade with a Baroque interior. Its halls feature frescoes by masters such as Giovanni Battista Tiepolo and Jacopo Guarana . The palace, which for centuries hosted European elites, including Emperor Joseph II and Josephine de Beauharnais, was in private hands until recently.

Palazzo Pisani Moretta/photo Wikipedia public domain

Dries Van Noten plans to transform this historic site into a cultural space dedicated to crafts, art and dialogue between the past and the present. As he himself says, the project is a "personal journey" based on "deep respect for what came before" while striving to create "something contemporary".

Unlike many other initiatives in Venice that transform historic buildings into hotels or shops, Dries Van Noten has pledged to preserve the public character of the palace . In accordance with the wishes of its previous owners, the Sammartini family, Palazzo Pisani Moretta will not become a luxury hotel . Instead, it is to serve as a cultural center —a venue for exhibitions, artist residencies, and events promoting crafts and collaborations between artists and artisans.

Dries Van Noten/photo Shutterstock

Maurizio Sammartini , former owner of the palace, expressed his confidence that "Dries and Patrick, with their respect for tradition and innovation, will lead the palace towards the future while preserving its rich past."

Venice has been struggling with overtourism and commercialization for years. Van Noten’s initiative is part of a new trend in which luxury brands are getting involved in cultural projects, bringing life back to historic buildings. Similar initiatives have been taken by Nicolas Berggruen , who opened a contemporary art center in Palazzo Diedo , and Bottega Veneta , who transformed a palace in the Cannaregio district into a space of culture and crafts.

Van Noten's project is not only a tribute to the past, but also an attempt to create a space where history and modernity coexist. For Venice, a city with a rich artistic tradition, it is a chance to regain its role as a living center of culture and crafts.

Details regarding the opening schedule of the new cultural space are to be announced in September 2025.