dries van noten to transform venetian palazzo pisani moretta into cultural venue

dries van noten acquires palazzo pisani moretta in venice 

Venice Sotheby’s Realty announces that Dries Van Noten has acquired the Venetian Palazzo Pisani Moretta. The Belgian fashion designer, who stepped down from his own label in 2024 after 38 years of helming it, is yet to reveal his plans for the palace. Given the history of the location, Dries Van Noten’s new venture can foresee him transforming Palazzo Pisani Moretta in Venice into a cultural venue. He describes it as a personal journey, adding that it is about creating something while respecting what came before.

Before he left his fashion brand, PUIG acquired a majority stake in his company in 2018. During the time, he was still the Chief Creative Officer. He still contributes to the brand and presented his final collection as the house’s creative director in June 2024. Julian Klausner has succeeded the designer as the label’s creative director, presenting his first women’s runway collection on March 5th, 2025. Now, Dries Van Noten focuses on his recent adventure in Venice, Italy, after having acquired the historical, 15th-century Palazzo Pisani Moretta.

portrait of Dries Van Noten | image courtesy of Dries Van Noten

Gothic- and baroque-style cultural venue and palace

A recap: the Palazzo Pisani Moretta in Venice stands along the Grand Canal between the Rialto Bridge and Ca’ Foscari. It belonged to the Pisani family since its construction in the late 15th century. The palace had demonstrated the Gothic Floral architecture, and then, between the early 16th and mid-18th centuries, it underwent significant changes and expansions. It wasn’t used in the late 19th century, so in the late 20th century, the palace was again restored. The efforts included bringing back original furniture and artwork to revive the palace’s historical value.

Because of this timeline, it now has its current appearance, the one that Dries Van Noten has acquired in Venice. Its facade keeps its Gothic-style mullioned windows, while the interiors present a Baroque style. The palace’s history states that renowned Venetian artists like Giambattista Tiepolo, Jacopo Guarana, Gaspare Diziani, and Giuseppe Angeli contributed to the interior decoration. Then, a prominent double-ramp staircase, also from the Baroque period, replaced the original external Gothic staircase. A report by the Corriere del Veneto says that Dries Van Noten has already had a house with his partner, Patrick Vangheluwe, for some time on the Grand Canal in Venice. Acquiring then the Palazzo Pisani Moretta may be an expansion step, a way for the designer to establish his new roots.

exterior view of Palazzo Pisani Moretta in Venice | image courtesy of Venice Sotheby’s Realty

double-ramp staircase that replaced the original external Gothic staircase | image courtesy of Venice Sotheby’s Realty

Main Hall | from here, all images courtesy of Palazzo Pisani Moretta

view of the Living Room

inside Palazzo Pisani Moreta at night

project info:

designer: Dries Van Noten | @driesvannoten

palace: Palazzo Pisani Moretta | @palazzo.pisani.moretta

realty: Venice Sotheby’s Realty | @sothebysrealty_venice

location: Quartiere San Polo, 2766, 30125 Venice, Italy

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