New creative directors at major houses are causing a seismic shift in the luxury fashion world.
Call it the great fashion shake-up. The luxury goods industry is in the midst of an unprecedented transformation, with nine houses changing creative directors in recent months. New designers have been announced or recently debuted at some of the world’s most illustrious brands, including CHANEL, Valentino, and Gucci. They’re being charged with balancing a house’s history and heritage with their own aesthetic visions.
Below is a quick guide to the who, why, and when of some of the most notable maison moves.
Image Top Left: Alessandro Michele (Photo by Estrop/Getty) Top Middle: Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez (Photo by Jeff Henrikson) Top Right: Matthieu Blazy (Photo by Victor Virgile/Getty) Bottom Left: Sarah Burton (Photo by David Burton) Bottom Middle: Demna (Courtesy of Demna) Bottom Right: Haider Ackermann
GUCCI
Maison: Gucci is a luxury house founded in Florence in 1921. Its collections include ready-to-wear, leather goods, shoes, bags, jewelry, watches, décor, and more. The house rose to the height of fashion under Tom Ford (creative director from 1994-2004) and Alessandro Michele (creative director from 2015-2022).
New artistic director: Demna. The Georgia-born designer had helmed Balenciaga as creative director since 2015 and made his mark at the Kering-owned house by elevating streetwear to couture, supersizing suiting, and riffing on American pop culture. He worked with everything from “The Simpsons” to frequent collaborations with Kim Kardashian. Demna already has some experience with Gucci as well. In 2021, he and then Gucci creative director Alessandro Michele “hacked” each other’s brands, reinterpreting recognizable styles and swapping logos.
Why: “Demna’s contribution to the industry, to Balenciaga, and to the Group’s success has been tremendous. His creative power is exactly what Gucci needs,” said François-Henri Pinault, chairman and CEO of Kering.
When: Demna’s Gucci debut is expected later this year
VALENTINO
Maison: Valentino was established by Valentino Garavani in Rome in 1960—who became famous for dressing society ladies, often in his signature red—then revived by Pierpaulo Piccioli during a tenure that ended in 2024.
New creative director: Alessandro Michele. The Italian fashion designer gained global recognition as Gucci’s creative director from 2015 to 2022, where he tripled revenues. Michele has brought his maximalist, gender-blending style and penchant for theatricality with him to Valentino—along with his celebrity friends Harry Styles, Elton John, Jared Leto, and Florence Welch.
Why: “I am certain that the reinterpretation of the Maison’s codes and the heritage created by Mr. Valentino Garavani combined with Alessandro’s extraordinary vision will grace us moments of great feeling and will translate into irresistibly desirable objects,” stated Valentino CEO Jacopo Venturini.
When: His third runway collection was presented in Paris for fall 2025 in an enormous public bathroom bathed in red light.
TOM FORD
Maison: Tom Ford is an American luxury house founded by namesake designer Tom Ford in 2005. The global fashion house is known for its refined tailoring and modern elegance and offers women’s and men’s fashion, accessories, eyewear, and beauty. Following the sale of Tom Ford to Estée Lauder Companies in 2023, Ford stepped down as the brand’s creative director.
New creative director: Haider Ackermann. The French-Colombian fashion designer was handpicked by Ford. He has earned accolades for his romantic, liquid-like tailoring and for dressing muses Tilda Swinton and Timothée Chalamet for the red carpet.
Why: “I have long been a great fan of Haider’s work. I find both his womenswear and menswear equally compelling. He is an incredible colorist, his tailoring is sharp, and above all, he is modern. We share many of the same historical references, and I could not be more excited to see what he does with the brand,” said Ford.
When: Ackermann debuted his first collection in March at Paris Fashion Week for Fall/Winter 2025 and received a standing ovation from everyone in the crowd, including Ford.
GIVENCHY
Maison: Givenchy was established in Paris in 1952 by Hubert de Givenchy, who designed much of Audrey Hepburn’s classic personal and onscreen wardrobe. It was led by a succession of starry designers from the 1990s on, including John Galliano, Alexander McQueen, Riccardo Tisci, and Clare Waight Keller.
New creative director: Sarah Burton. The English fashion designer is Givenchy’s eighth designer and second female couturier. Prior to joining Givenchy, Burton served as Alexander McQueen’s creative director, where she designed Kate Middleton’s historic wedding gown.
Why: “Her unique vision and approach to fashion will be invaluable to this iconic maison, known for its audacity and haute couture,” expressed Sidney Toledano, chairman of the board at Givenchy.
When: Burton made her powerful debut in March at Paris Fashion Week for Fall/Winter 2025, beautifully blending Givenchy’s heritage with modern, bold femininity.
CHANEL
Maison: CHANEL, founded as a hat business by Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel in Paris in 1910,
expanded into a global fashion juggernaut with tweed suits, 2.55 handbags, and two-toned shoes among its signatures, and Karl Lagerfeld as its long-serving creative director.
New artistic director: Matthieu Blazy. The French-Belgian designer is succeeding Virginie Viard—a long time collaborator and friend of Lagerfeld’s—as creative director. Blazy was the creative director of Bottega Veneta from 2021 to 2024, during which time he made the everyday extraordinary through his craft.
Why: “We have a lot of confidence in Matthieu’s capacity to bring modernity and a different approach to Chanel,” Bruno Pavlovsky, Chanel’s president of fashion, told The New York Times. “Matthieu has respect for the heritage but also a very specific design for ready-to-wear, for silhouettes, for bags, and we like it quite a lot. We want him to push, test, and go where he feels is right.”
When: Blazy is expected to make his debut with the spring 2026 ready-to-wear collection in Paris in October.
LOEWE
Maison: Loewe, established as a leather goods house in Madrid in 1846, grew into a fashion and fragrance brand in the 1970s. Narciso Rodriguez, José Enrique Oña Selfa, and Stuart Vevers have taken turns at the helm and were integral in building Loewe’s legacy, but it was Jonathan Anderson, under his 11-year tenure, who turned the LVMH-owned brand into a powerhouse. With his well-crafted clothes, must-have accessories, and memorable celebrity moments like the “Decades of Confusion” Loewe pronunciation campaign starring Dan Levy and Aubrey Plaza, Anderson established Loewe as one of the most recognizable and coveted luxury brands.
New creative directors: Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez are the American design duo behind Proenza Schouler, the womenswear and accessories brand founded in 2002 and known for creating luxury fashion for the metropolitan and sophisticated woman, including modern sportswear and its signature PS1 satchel.
Why: “Their eclectic creativity and dedication to craft make them a natural choice to build the next chapter of Loewe,” said LVMH executive Sidney Toledano. “I look forward to seeing them lead the evolution of the house.”
When: Jack McCollough’s and Lazaro Hernandez’s Loewe debut is expected later this year.
