January
Glenn Martens was selected as the new creative director of Maison Margiela. The Belgian designer, also creative director of Diesel, succeeded John Galliano, who in December wound up a 10-year collaboration at Maison Margiela that delivered fashion thrills, cultural moments and business progression.
March
Jil Sander in March appointed Simone Bellotti creative director. Previously creative director at Bally, he succeeded Luke and Lucie Meier, whose exit was announced after their fall 2025 fashion show in Milan.
Designers Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, founders of the New York label Proenza Schouler, were named the new creative directors at Loewe, effective April 7. They succeeded Jonathan Anderson after an acclaimed 11-year tenure that catapulted the Spanish house into fashion’s big leagues. In January they stepped down as creative directors of the brand they founded in 2002.
The Georgian creative Demna was named the new designer at Gucci. He ended his tenure at Balenciaga on July 9 after 10 years. His first collection for Gucci bowed in September flanked by the film “The Tiger,” starring Demi Moore. He succeeded Sabato De Sarno, who exited Gucci in early February after a two-year collaboration.
Mugler appointed Miguel Castro Freitas its new creative director, an alumnus of Sportmax, Dries Van Noten and Christian Dior Couture. Freitas succeeded Casey Cadwallader, whose swan song after an eventful seven-year tenure was an uncharacteristically low-key look book drop for his fall 2025 effort, photographed in a sexy, sci-fi manner by Inez Van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin.
Carven, the French fashion label owned by China’s Icicle, named Mark Howard Thomas its director of design. Thomas filled the vacancy left by Louise Trotter, who was poached by Bottega Veneta in December last year. Thomas joined Carven in 2023 as head of sartorial and creative collaborations. Previously, he held various design roles in brands including Lacoste, Helmut Lang, Joseph, Givenchy and Neil Barrett.
April
Versace tapped Dario Vitale as chief creative officer of the brand. Vitale was previously Miu Miu’s ready-to-wear design director and left the company in January. He succeeded Donatella Versace, who was named chief brand ambassador.
Jonathan Anderson was appointed to succeed Kim Jones as Dior’s menswear creative director, presenting his first collection for the French house in June. In March, Anderson departed after 11 years as creative director of Loewe, which he transformed from a small, reputable Spanish leather house into a vibrant global luxury brand steeped in contemporary culture. In June he would then be named Dior’s couturier and womenswear creative director along with his menswear responsibilities.
Jean Paul Gaultier picked the Dutch designer Duran Lantink as permanent creative director. The Paris fashion house has been hosting guest couturiers in recent years. Lantink, who has made circularity a keystone of his design process, was the winner of the Karl Lagerfeld Special Jury Prize in last year’s LVMH Prize competition and of the 2025 International Woolmark Prize.
May
Pierpaolo Piccioli was confirmed as the new creative director of Balenciaga, succeeding Demna after an acclaimed 10-year tenure. Piccioli parted ways with Valentino in March 2024, having worked at the Roman house for 25 years, and sharing the creative director role jointly with Maria Grazia Chiuri from 2008 to 2016. He started his fashion career with a 10-year stint at Fendi, also working there alongside Chiuri.
July
Marni’s parent company OTB picked Meryll Rogge as the next creative director of the Italian fashion house, following the departure of Francesco Risso. She has helmed her eponymous label since 2020 and formerly worked as head of womenswear design for both Marc Jacobs and Dries Van Noten. In 2025, she won the ANDAM Prize and was a finalist for the Woolmark Prize.
September
Rachel Scott was named Proenza Schouler’s creative director, taking over the reins from founders Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez. She oversees all categories for the brand including mainline ready-to-wear, White Label, handbags and footwear. In 2024, Scott took home the American Womenswear Designer of the Year award at the CFDA Fashion Awards and was awarded the CFDA Awards’ Google Shopping American Emerging Designer of the Year honor in 2023 after launching her womenswear label Diotima just four years ago. The New York-based designer, who hails from Kingston, Jamaica, also received the Fashion Trust U.S. rtw award in 2025.
Christian Louboutin tapped Jaden Smith as its first men’s creative director. The American rapper and actor is set to unveil his first collection for the French house in January 2026. He is to oversee the creation of four collections a year across shoes, leather goods and accessories, along with developing campaigns, events and immersive experiences.
October
Hermès appointed Grace Wales Bonner as its new menswear creative director, succeeding Véronique Nichanian, who stepped down after 37 years. Wales Bonner is a graduate of Central Saint Martins, upon graduating in 2014, her thesis collection “Afrique” won the L’Oréal Professionnel Talent Award. A year later she debuted at the London menswear collections under her namesake label Wales Bonner. The collection, titled “Ebonics,” won the British Fashion Award for Emerging Menswear Designer. In 2016 she won the LVMH Young Designer Prize. In 2023, she was the invited guest designer at spring edition of Pitti Uomo.
Maria Grazia Chiuri was appointed chief creative officer of Fendi. It is a return to Fendi for her, as the designer kicked off her career there in 1989, helping to boost the brand’s accessories offer. Chiuri in May stepped down as artistic director of women’s collections at Dior, succeeded by Jonathan Anderson. She departed after nine years at the French brand, the first woman to lead the creation of women’s collections, and writing a key chapter in its history, helping to grow the brand thanks to a mix of commercially successful product and feminist-driven storytelling.
November
Balmain selected Antonin Tron as its new creative director, succeeding Olivier Rousteing. The French designer came onto the international radar in 2016 when he founded his Atlein brand. After this appointment, Tron will dedicate himself exclusively to the French house. Shortly after launching Atlein, Tron scooped the First Collections Prize at the 2018 ANDAM awards and quickly garnered high-profile wholesale clients including Bergdorf Goodman in New York, Ikram in Chicago, The Webster in Miami, Galeries Lafayette in Paris, Boon the Shop in Seoul and Net-a-porter online.
