The fashion industry saw an almost dizzying number of creative director changes in 2024.
The brands that said goodbye to departing designers and welcomed new talent will see whether or not these new perspectives bring in fresh customers for 2025 and beyond. The changes reflect a sector in flux, as older high-end customers become more cautious about where they spend their money and younger customers look more for experiences than products.
Here are some of the biggest swaps and separations over the past 12 months.
Chanel
Virginie Viard left her post as artistic director of Chanel in June, and the industry spent almost six months buzzing about who would get what Vogue Business called “the most coveted job in fashion.” Viard had been with the company for 30 years and spent the last five in the top creative spot.
In December, Chanel announced that Matthieu Blazy would be the house’s new artistic director of fashion, overseeing haute couture, ready-to-wear and accessories. Blazy was most recently creative director at Kering-owned Bottega Veneta and has also worked at Maison Margiela, Celine and Calvin Klein.
Blazy will begin in 2025 and is expected to show his first collection in October, according to WWD.
Bottega Veneta
When Blazy announced his exit as creative director of Kering-owned Bottega Veneta, the house announced that Louise Trotter would be his successor.
Trotter, who has been creative director of Icicle-owned Carven since February 2023, will leave her position and join Bottega Veneta at the end of January 2025. She is expected to show her first collection for the line in 2025.
Blumarine
Designer Walter Chiappoini left his role as creative director of Blufin Group-owned label Blumarine in March, after presenting only one collection.
In a statement regarding his departure, Chiappoini said 2023 was a “horrible year in which I had to say goodbye to three of the beings that I loved the most.” He didn’t elaborate on where he would land next.
Designer David Koma was appointed to the creative director role in July. Koma, the former creative director at Thierry Mugler, is expected to present his first collection, for pre-fall 2025, early next year.
Valentino
After Alessandro Michele’s dramatic November 2022 departure from Kering-owned Gucci, the designer stayed quiet. That is, until the March 2024 announcement that he would become the new creative director of Maison Valentino, which is minority owned by Kering.
Michele presented his first collection for Valentino in July.
A week before Michele’s appointment was announced, Pierpaolo Piccioli stepped down as Valentino’s creative director. He had been with the brand since 1999 and was named to the top creative spot in 2016. Piccioli has not announced his next position.
Missoni
In October, on the same day Filippo Grazioli announced on Instagram that he would be leaving his position as creative director at Missoni, the house appointed Alberto Caliri as his successor, according to multiple outlets.
Caliri is a long-time employee at Missoni and will present his first full collection, for pre-fall 2025, next year.
Grazioli, who has previously worked at Hermès, Givenchy and Burberry, has not yet announced his next move.
Celine
Michael Rider was appointed creative director of LVMH-owned Celine on Oct. 2, replacing Hedi Slimane, who spent seven years in the role.
Rider left his role as creative director of Polo Ralph Lauren in May. Before joining that company, he was design director for ready-to-wear at Celine and spent almost 10 years working with then-creative director Phoebe Philo. Rider also worked at Balenciaga.
Slimane’s final collection for Celine was in September, and Rider is expected to present his first collection for the brand in Paris in early 2025.
There is no word yet on where Slimane will land.
Dries Van Noten
In March, Dries Van Noten said he would step down from his position as designer of his Puig-owned namesake label in June. His menswear spring-summer 2025 collection was his last.
Puig announced in December that the creative director position would be filled by Julian Klausner, who was promoted to the position after spending about six years working with Van Noten to design and develop the brand’s women’s collections.
Klausner will present his first collection on March 5, 2025.
Alberta Ferretti
Alberta Ferretti announced she would step down as creative director of her Aeffe-owned label in September, saying her spring-summer 2025 show for her namesake brand was her last.
Ferretti, who founded the brand in 1980, turned over the reins to former Ferretti diffusion line designer Lorenzo Serafini in October. Before joining Alberta Ferretti, Serafini had stints at Roberto Cavalli, Blumarine and Dolce and Gabbana.
He will show his first collection for the Alberta Ferretti brand in February 2025, and the Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini line will be integrated within the main Alberta Ferretti brand beginning with the fall-winter 2025 season.
Tom Ford (and Canada Goose)
Although designer Peter Hawkings spent almost a decade at Tom Ford, he exited his role as creative director of the Estée Lauder Companies-owned brand in July, less than a year after taking on the position and after showing only two collections. He has not announced his next role.
In September, the company named Haider Ackermann as creative director. He will oversee menswear, womenswear, accessories and eyewear, and his first collection will debut during Paris Fashion Week in March 2025.
Ackermann was also named the first creative director of Canada Goose in May. The designer presented his first seasonal capsule collection for the brand in November and will hold this role concurrently with his role at Tom Ford.
