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The creative director musical chairs has come to a halt (for now), and it’s the season to face the music.
Demna left Balenciaga for Gucci, so Pierpaolo Piccioli took his spot, having left Valentino to Alessandro Michele, and Matthieu Blazy took over Chanel, meaning Louise Trotter was appointed at Bottega Veneta, leaving an empty seat at Carven, which was snatched up by Mark Thomas… These creative director switches are enough to give anyone a pounding headache. Just take a look at Ashantéa Austin’s map to visualise just how messy this ordeal is. Even Anna Wintour expressed her astonishment as to this season’s unprecedented volume of debuts in her latest interview with The New Yorker.
So before diving into this lengthy list, let’s take a moment to appreciate these newly-appointed creative directors who probably feel like they are carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders, the in-house design teams who have had to adapt in no time, the journalists who will stay up way past midnight to report on these, and all the stylists, producers, PRs, set designers, models, MUAs, hairstylists, lighting and sound technicians, interns, and everyone else who worked tirelessly to put this show together.
Nicholas Aburn for Area
While you might not have heard of Nicholas Aburn, the Central Saint Martins alumni has a stacked résumé, having spent the better half of a decade working at powerhouses such as Balenciaga and Tom Ford. The brand has already teased what this new era will look like on their Instagram last month, having shared imagery spanning from ‘90s Gwen Stefani to current Lily-Rose Depp – essentially it’s giving cool girl of the past, present, and future.
Rachel Scott for Proenza Schouler
After the founding duo was announced to be leaving for Loewe (more on that later), it was announced that Diotima’s Rachel Scott would be taking over the label. Proenza Schouler did state that this collection will serve “as an opening statement and an intimate preview of her perspective,” while her proper debut is slated for next fashion month. Nonetheless, this will be one of NYFW’s most watched show of the season, as Scott remains one of the few women on this list, and in-charge of a luxury fashion house in general.
Demna for Gucci
Now this is a debut that’ll have all eyes locked on it, and it’s not even a proper debut. That’s how strong Demna’s pull is. Or perhaps how strange this appointment is. While everyone was focused on the not-so-secret Jonathan Anderson appointment at Dior, Demna and the Gucci execs pulled a sneaky one on us. And although this season won’t be the Georgian designer’s official runway debut, Gucci’s name is still etched on the Milan schedule, with the goal of reminding everyone “what Gucci is.” A low-key presentation? An experiential film? Whatever it is, we’ll be sat for it.
Simone Bellotti for Jil Sander
Formerly at Bally, Simone Belotti joins the OTB Group at Jil Sander, not without facing a challenge. Following the departure of Lucie and Luke Meyer – the beloved partners who redefined the German brand into a luxurious whisper that lingered in your mind past the chaos of fashion week – Bellotti will have broken hearts to mend, all the while convincing the public (and buyers) to jump on board with his creative vision.
Louise Trotter for Bottega Veneta
The (only) other woman to figure on this list, everybody’s rooting for Louise Trotter at Bottega Veneta. After Matthieu Blazy’s chameleonic prowess which put the Italian House on the map as the luxurious ready-to-wear brand du jour, Trotter has big shoes to fill. But if her time at Carven, where she carved out a sophisticated yet fresh identity is anything to go off of, we’re not worried in the slightest.
Dario Vitale for Versace
Similarly to Gucci, Vitale won’t be hosting his first fashion show this season. Instead, the brand has announced it will be holding an “intimate gathering” – perhaps a dinner for its innermost VIP circle? Who knows, but the offering is anything like what Versace has presented at Venice Film Festival, it’s going to be an upward battle for Vitale to win over the public’s affinity.
Jonathan Anderson for Dior
Okay, technically Anderson has already debuted for Dior last June for Men’s Fashion Week, and we have seen some of his womenswear on Rihanna, as well as Venice Film Festival attendees, BUT (and it’s a big one), we’ve yet to see a womenswear runway show. And arguably, it’s a higher-stake show than its menswear counterpart. We have no doubt that the Northern Irish prodigy will smash it out the park. The real question is, will Lyas return with another watch party for this debut?
Miguel Castro Freitas for Mugler
Who is he? What has he done? And what will he do with Mugler? Well, the Portuguese designer is a fellow Central Saint Martins’ alum, with Yves Saint Laurent and Lanvin experience under his belt. As for the latter question, we’ll have to stay tuned to see.
Mark Thomas at Carven
Having joined Carven in 2023 as a senior designer, Thomas’ in-house promotion came after Trotter was snatched up by Bottega Veneta. Basically, Trotter’s right-hand man was the logical choice – one we’d love to see more in fashion.
Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez for Loewe
After reigning in New York, the Proenza Schouler-founding duo set their sails on Spain, where they will enter the wonderful world of Loewe. Now, there can’t be any more pressure than joining the house formerly led by the Jonathan Anderson, who dug it out of its grave and turned it into the most talked-about brand of recent times. But there’s a reason why McCollough and Hernandez were chosen, and we’ll that find out this season.
Glenn Martens for Maison Margiela
Again, not *technically* a debut, as we’ve already seen Martens’ mastery in a couture collection for the Maison last July. That being said, if couture is the fever dream, then ready-to-wear is the everyday, grounded vision. And after a rather divisive Miley Cyrus-starring campaign – the first face that’s ever been attached to the brand, mind you – we’re sure Martens’ has a few more tricks up his sleeve to reinvent the Maison on his terms.
Pierpaolo Piccioli for Balenciaga
If there’s one thing about Italian darling Pierpaolo Piccioli, it’s that he’s one hell of a dressmaker. Based on his past tenures, you definitely can’t bother Piccioli with minute details of a brand such as the the primary hints of the house’s next olfaction. Where Piccioli thrives, arguably, is where Demna lacked. So, this debut might just be the crowd-pleaser of the season.
Duran Lantnik for Jean Paul Gaultier
Described as a new age enfant terrible by Gaultier himself, the recent Woolmark Prize winner ends the era of the guest designer by taking hold of the French Maison. There’s a certain tongue-in-cheek quality to Lantnik’s work that will amalgamate well with the rich history that lies behind him. After all, Gaultier did handpick him, surely meaning we’re in good hands here.
Matthieu Blazy for Chanel
Drum roll please… saving one of the very best for last, Matthieu Blazy for Chanel. A sweet taking of time since his appointment, the French-Belgian designer sure knows how to make the people salivate. The third successor to the House of Chanel after Karl Lagerfeld and Virginie Viard, this debut will close off Paris Fashion Week with an unforgettable show, one waiting to be etched into the history books.
Words – Juliette Eleuterio
in HTML format, including tags, to make it appealing and easy to read for Japanese-speaking readers aged 20 to 40 interested in fashion. Organize the content with appropriate headings and subheadings (h1, h2, h3, h4, h5, h6), translating all text, including headings, into Japanese. Retain any existing
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The creative director musical chairs has come to a halt (for now), and it’s the season to face the music.
Demna left Balenciaga for Gucci, so Pierpaolo Piccioli took his spot, having left Valentino to Alessandro Michele, and Matthieu Blazy took over Chanel, meaning Louise Trotter was appointed at Bottega Veneta, leaving an empty seat at Carven, which was snatched up by Mark Thomas… These creative director switches are enough to give anyone a pounding headache. Just take a look at Ashantéa Austin’s map to visualise just how messy this ordeal is. Even Anna Wintour expressed her astonishment as to this season’s unprecedented volume of debuts in her latest interview with The New Yorker.
So before diving into this lengthy list, let’s take a moment to appreciate these newly-appointed creative directors who probably feel like they are carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders, the in-house design teams who have had to adapt in no time, the journalists who will stay up way past midnight to report on these, and all the stylists, producers, PRs, set designers, models, MUAs, hairstylists, lighting and sound technicians, interns, and everyone else who worked tirelessly to put this show together.
Nicholas Aburn for Area
While you might not have heard of Nicholas Aburn, the Central Saint Martins alumni has a stacked résumé, having spent the better half of a decade working at powerhouses such as Balenciaga and Tom Ford. The brand has already teased what this new era will look like on their Instagram last month, having shared imagery spanning from ‘90s Gwen Stefani to current Lily-Rose Depp – essentially it’s giving cool girl of the past, present, and future.
Rachel Scott for Proenza Schouler
After the founding duo was announced to be leaving for Loewe (more on that later), it was announced that Diotima’s Rachel Scott would be taking over the label. Proenza Schouler did state that this collection will serve “as an opening statement and an intimate preview of her perspective,” while her proper debut is slated for next fashion month. Nonetheless, this will be one of NYFW’s most watched show of the season, as Scott remains one of the few women on this list, and in-charge of a luxury fashion house in general.
Demna for Gucci
Now this is a debut that’ll have all eyes locked on it, and it’s not even a proper debut. That’s how strong Demna’s pull is. Or perhaps how strange this appointment is. While everyone was focused on the not-so-secret Jonathan Anderson appointment at Dior, Demna and the Gucci execs pulled a sneaky one on us. And although this season won’t be the Georgian designer’s official runway debut, Gucci’s name is still etched on the Milan schedule, with the goal of reminding everyone “what Gucci is.” A low-key presentation? An experiential film? Whatever it is, we’ll be sat for it.
Simone Bellotti for Jil Sander
Formerly at Bally, Simone Belotti joins the OTB Group at Jil Sander, not without facing a challenge. Following the departure of Lucie and Luke Meyer – the beloved partners who redefined the German brand into a luxurious whisper that lingered in your mind past the chaos of fashion week – Bellotti will have broken hearts to mend, all the while convincing the public (and buyers) to jump on board with his creative vision.
Louise Trotter for Bottega Veneta
The (only) other woman to figure on this list, everybody’s rooting for Louise Trotter at Bottega Veneta. After Matthieu Blazy’s chameleonic prowess which put the Italian House on the map as the luxurious ready-to-wear brand du jour, Trotter has big shoes to fill. But if her time at Carven, where she carved out a sophisticated yet fresh identity is anything to go off of, we’re not worried in the slightest.
Dario Vitale for Versace
Similarly to Gucci, Vitale won’t be hosting his first fashion show this season. Instead, the brand has announced it will be holding an “intimate gathering” – perhaps a dinner for its innermost VIP circle? Who knows, but the offering is anything like what Versace has presented at Venice Film Festival, it’s going to be an upward battle for Vitale to win over the public’s affinity.
Jonathan Anderson for Dior
Okay, technically Anderson has already debuted for Dior last June for Men’s Fashion Week, and we have seen some of his womenswear on Rihanna, as well as Venice Film Festival attendees, BUT (and it’s a big one), we’ve yet to see a womenswear runway show. And arguably, it’s a higher-stake show than its menswear counterpart. We have no doubt that the Northern Irish prodigy will smash it out the park. The real question is, will Lyas return with another watch party for this debut?
Miguel Castro Freitas for Mugler
Who is he? What has he done? And what will he do with Mugler? Well, the Portuguese designer is a fellow Central Saint Martins’ alum, with Yves Saint Laurent and Lanvin experience under his belt. As for the latter question, we’ll have to stay tuned to see.
Mark Thomas at Carven
Having joined Carven in 2023 as a senior designer, Thomas’ in-house promotion came after Trotter was snatched up by Bottega Veneta. Basically, Trotter’s right-hand man was the logical choice – one we’d love to see more in fashion.
Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez for Loewe
After reigning in New York, the Proenza Schouler-founding duo set their sails on Spain, where they will enter the wonderful world of Loewe. Now, there can’t be any more pressure than joining the house formerly led by the Jonathan Anderson, who dug it out of its grave and turned it into the most talked-about brand of recent times. But there’s a reason why McCollough and Hernandez were chosen, and we’ll that find out this season.
Glenn Martens for Maison Margiela
Again, not *technically* a debut, as we’ve already seen Martens’ mastery in a couture collection for the Maison last July. That being said, if couture is the fever dream, then ready-to-wear is the everyday, grounded vision. And after a rather divisive Miley Cyrus-starring campaign – the first face that’s ever been attached to the brand, mind you – we’re sure Martens’ has a few more tricks up his sleeve to reinvent the Maison on his terms.
Pierpaolo Piccioli for Balenciaga
If there’s one thing about Italian darling Pierpaolo Piccioli, it’s that he’s one hell of a dressmaker. Based on his past tenures, you definitely can’t bother Piccioli with minute details of a brand such as the the primary hints of the house’s next olfaction. Where Piccioli thrives, arguably, is where Demna lacked. So, this debut might just be the crowd-pleaser of the season.
Duran Lantnik for Jean Paul Gaultier
Described as a new age enfant terrible by Gaultier himself, the recent Woolmark Prize winner ends the era of the guest designer by taking hold of the French Maison. There’s a certain tongue-in-cheek quality to Lantnik’s work that will amalgamate well with the rich history that lies behind him. After all, Gaultier did handpick him, surely meaning we’re in good hands here.
Matthieu Blazy for Chanel
Drum roll please… saving one of the very best for last, Matthieu Blazy for Chanel. A sweet taking of time since his appointment, the French-Belgian designer sure knows how to make the people salivate. The third successor to the House of Chanel after Karl Lagerfeld and Virginie Viard, this debut will close off Paris Fashion Week with an unforgettable show, one waiting to be etched into the history books.
Words – Juliette Eleuterio
and integrate them seamlessly into the new content without adding new tags. Ensure the new content is fashion-related, written entirely in Japanese, and approximately 1500 words. Conclude with a “結論” section and a well-formatted “よくある質問” section. Avoid including an introduction or a note explaining the process.
