Gucci, Versace, Jil Sander… All you need to know about the high turnover of creative directors

Demna leaves Balenciaga to join Gucci

If the announcement of Donatella’s departure from Versace sent shockwaves through the fashion world, Demna’s appointment as artistic director at Gucci on Thursday March 13, 2025 is also surrounded by a tornado of questions.

Why is the Georgian designer, at the height of his fame at Balenciaga, leaving his post to join the ranks of the no less prestigious Italian fashion house? Following Sabato de Sarno’s departure to Gucci last February, the studio took over, presenting a successful transitional collection at Milan Fashion Week.

It remains to be seen who will succeed Demna as Artistic Director of the French house founded in 1919 by Cristobal Balenciaga… The challenge for the future chosen one remains immense, so much so has the creator of the Vêtements label revolutionized Balenciaga’s heritage during his nine years at the helm of the brand.

Dario Vitale replaces Donatella Versace as Artistic Director of Versace

A few weeks after presenting a Versace autumn-winter 2025-2026 collection revisiting the house’s golden age in Milan, Donatella Versace is stepping down. After three decades of highly scrutinized creations and shows, the famous Italian designer is handing over the artistic direction of Versace to designer Dario Vitale, who cut his teeth at Dsquared2 and Bottega Veneta before joining Miu Miu in 2010.

The appointment makes sense, given that Prada (which owns Miu Miu) is reportedly close to finalizing its €1.5 billion takeover of Versace from the Capri holdings group. In a press release published on Thursday March 13, 2025, Donatella Versace announced that she would henceforth assume the position of chief ambassador for the brand.

Matthieu Blazy, Chanel’s new artistic director

Virginie Viard, the successor of Karl Lagerfeld’s twenty-year reign, announced her departure from the Chanel ateliers last June 2024. This was followed by six months of speculation and hopes about who would take on the heavy legacy of the French fashion house. Last December, Matthieu Blazy was officially appointed as the house’s new creative director and announced his departure from Bottega Veneta.

Sarah Burton takes on the creative direction of Givenchy

After spending 26 years at Alexander McQueen, including 14 years working hand in hand with the late founder, Sarah Burton bid farewell to the British fashion house in September 2023. A year after Naomi Campbell shed a few tears during her last runway show, the designer announced her appointment as Givenchy’s creative director in September, thus succeeding Matthew Williams. For the eagerly-awaited Fall/Winter 2025-2026 Paris Fashion Week, she unveiled a sumptuous and promising first show…

Kim Jones steps down from Dior Men

While rumours about potential departures and arrivals in the biggest fashion houses are not unusual, Kim Jones’ departure from Dior Men came as a surprise. The announcement was made last January, just a few days after his last show for the house. Having held that position since 2018, the British designer is leaving a lasting mark on the brand’s identity and stays quiet for now about the new ateliers he might join…

Louise Trotter joins Bottega Veneta

A discreet figure in the fashion world, Louise Trotter is nevertheless one of the most talented fashion designers of her generation. After relaunching Lacoste between 2018 and 2023, then bringing Carven back to life from 2023 to 2024, the British designer is preparing to take over the reins of Bottega Veneta after Matthieu Blazy.

The Proenza Schouler duo withdraw from their own brand

At the head of their fashion label Proenza Schouler since its launch in 2002, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez announced they would be stepping down last January 2025. A rare longevity in the fashion industry, especially when it comes to the founding designers of a house, that leaves a question mark over the future of the New York label, but also about the future of the duo. Rumor has it that a potential appointment at Loewe is in the cards…

Glenn Martens, new artistic director of Maison Margiela

Glenn Martens has been shining as the creative director of Y/Project since 2013 and for his highly acclaimed collection for Diesel since 2020, but has recently bowed out. A few weeks after his departure from the first label, Y/Project announced that it was closing its doors, while the designer is officially still working for Diesel. Following in the footsteps of top designers, such as Karl Lagerfeld and Raf Simons, the Belgian designer is preparing to take on the creative direction of several prestigious brands, including Maison Margiela, where he has just been appointed. A tough task, especially since John Galliano left…

Sabato de Sarno’s departure from Gucci

Saboto de Sarno spent only two years at the head of men’s and women’s collections at Gucci. A few days ago, the designer announced that he was stepping down as artistic director of the famous Italian fashion house. It was a surprising, rash decision that came shortly after Alessandro Michele’s departure in 2022 and the long year of speculation that followed. While we don’t know where the Neapolitan designer is off to yet, we’re already missing the sleek, colourful aesthetic he brought to the brand.

Michael Rider, the new pilot of the Céline ateliers

Since 2018, designer Hedi Slimane has been leading Céline with an iron fist. Last October, however, the fashion house announced his departure and the arrival of Michael Rider as new creative director. Previously at the head of the women’s collections for Polo Ralph Lauren, the American fashion designer also trained alongside Nicolas Ghesquière at Balenciaga.

Mark Thomas appointed at Carven

One of the latest plot twists: the appointment of designer Mark Thomas at Carven put the brand back at the heart of Paris Fashion Week. Although the brand is not on the calendar this season after the departure of Louise Trotter, this announcement places the house at the heart of the debates. Trained at Central Saint Martins, the London designer has worked for Burberry, Givenchy and Neil Barret, before presiding as creative director at Helmut Lang from 2017 to 2019, and then joining Lacoste that very same year. His contemporary, yet classic aesthetic promises to extend the renewal initiated by his predecessor.

Simone Bellotti replaces Lucie and Luke Meier at Jil Sander

A few hours after the Jil Sander Fall/Winter 2025-2026 show in Milan ten days ago, Lucie and Luke Meier announced that they were stepping down as artistic directors, a position they held since 2017. The collection was tinged with nostalgia, leaving the future of the brand in the dark… Until last Monday, March 10th, when the nomination of Simone Bellotti was revealed. After working for Dolce & Gabbana, Bottega Veneta and Gucci for more than 15 years, he was the former head of collections at Bally in Milan – the same city where he is about to join the Jil Sander ateliers…