The Fondazione Dries Van Noten in Venice Will Be “a Space to Showcase and Nurture the Art of Making in All Its Forms”

I know you describe yourself as an addicted gardener, and you’ve got a beautiful garden at your house in Leer. So I have to ask, does Venice compete with your beloved roses?

People often ask if I miss my garden in Leer. They say, “ok Venice, lots of canals, but your garden?” And of course, I do miss it, but what I truly love about a garden is the quiet, the space to walk, the absence of traffic: no cars, no trucks, no traffic lights, no noise. Venice, in a surprising way, offers much the same. There are no cars here, no traffic to interrupt your day, just water, light, and space to breathe. I like to think of Venice as one great garden, with sun-dappled palazzos, glimmering reflections on the water, and hidden corners to explore. Sure, I miss knowing exactly when the roses will bloom, and I still visit my garden in Leer. Our beloved dog Scott loves it there. But living in Venice feels complete in its own right. The pace is slower, more deliberate, yet the city is alive, full of exhibitions, concerts, events, and the simple pleasure of dinners at friends’ homes. It’s a perfect balance of serenity and vitality.

And what about the Fondazione? How did the idea come about?

The idea for the Fondazione grew from a simple desire: Patrick and I still wanted to do something meaningful. Life had given us so much, and we had worked like crazy, but through it all, there was one constant, one red thread running through everything we did: craftsmanship. I’ve always been fascinated by embroidery. I spent a lot of time in India, working with artisans in villages rather than factories, thinking about how to preserve their skills without pushing even more people into already overpopulated cities like Kolkata. The same approach has guided my work in Europe: I’ve worked on hand-painted garments in Como, with small mills in Lyon still weaving on wooden looms from the 1920s, always valuing the human hand, the skill, the subtle imperfections that make each piece unique.