Who could replace Dries Van Noten?

It has been just five years since Dries Van Noten sold a majority stake of his company to Puig, the Spanish luxury conglomerate. Whether succession planning factored into the transaction remains uncertain. At 65 years old, Mr. Van Noten's recent announcement to retire from the fashion sphere and focus on other aspects of life — pursuits often sidelined by the relentless pace of the fashion industry — would typically garner praise in any other sector. Yet, within the fashion realm, his decision is met with surprise, if not lament. In an industry where longevity is often equated with prestige, a founder designer's departure, akin to that of a monarch stepping down, feels like a seismic shift.