Gucci has named Demna Gvasalia artistic director, according to a Thursday release from parent company Kering. He will start in early July.
The designer, who prefers to go by the mononymous Demna, succeeds Sabato De Sarno, who left his role in February, just ahead of a planned runway show in Milan.
“I have always admired Demna’s creative approach, that is both unique and powerful,” Gucci CEO Stefano Cantino said in the release. “His ability to honor the iconic legacy of a brand while embracing a modern sensibility is extraordinary. With Gucci’s strengthened foundations as a springboard, Demna will lead the House towards renewed fashion authority and enduring cultural relevance.”
Demna currently serves as the creative director of Kering-owned Balenciaga, where he has been since 2015. Prior to that, he was the creative director of Vetements, the streetwear brand he co-founded with his brother. Demna left his role there in 2019.
“I am truly excited to join the Gucci family,” Demna said in the release. “It is an honor to contribute to a House that I deeply respect and have long admired. I look forward to writing together with Stefano and the whole team a new chapter of Gucci’s amazing story.”
No successor at Balenciaga has been named, and the brand joins the list of labels without creative heads, which as of January also includes Dior Men.
“Demna’s profound understanding of contemporary culture, coupled with his extensive experience in conceiving visionary projects, has established him as one of the most influential and accomplished creatives of his generation,” Francesca Bellettini, deputy CEO in charge of brand development at Kering, said in the release.
“His appointment as Artistic Director is the perfect catalyst to reignite Gucci’s creative energy,” Bellettini said. “I look forward to the collaboration of Demna and Stefano as they lead Gucci into a new era of success.”
Gucci’s move comes as multiple creative director shifts have rocked the fashion industry in recent months, including changes at Jil Sander, Carven and Versace over the past few days. In December, Kering appointed Lousie Trotter as creative director at Bottega Veneta following the departure of Matthieu Blazy, who left for Chanel that month.
Demna’s appointment, however, is particularly notable in light of Gucci’s earnings slump. That decline began to manifest not long after the November 2023 departure of Gucci’s previous creative director, Alessandro Michele, who was with the brand for eight years.
Kering clearly hopes Demna’s appointment will be the turning point the brand needs.
“Demna’s contribution to the industry, to Balenciaga, and to the Group’s success has been tremendous,” Kering chairman and CEO François-Henri Pinault said in the release. “His creative power is exactly what Gucci needs. As I thank him for everything he has accomplished over the past 10 years, I look forward to seeing him shape Gucci’s new artistic direction.”
