PARIS (Reuters) -Birkin bag maker Hermes has named Grace Wales Bonner as its menswear creative director, replacing veteran Veronique Nichanian, who spent nearly four decades at the brand. Wales Bonner
Hermes names Grace Wales Bonner as menswear creative director
Grace Wales Bonner Takes the Helm at Hermes
PARIS (Reuters) -Birkin bag maker Hermes has named Grace Wales Bonner as its menswear creative director, replacing veteran Veronique Nichanian, who spent nearly four decades at the brand.
Background and Achievements of Wales Bonner
Wales Bonner, 35, who will show her first collection for the brand in January 2027, is part of a new generation taking the creative reins of some of the biggest names in fashion, including Chanel, LVMH-owned Dior and Kering's Gucci.
Industry Trends and Designer Changes
The industry has been shaking up design teams in an effort to pull out of a two-year slump, prompting a round of musical chairs, with the latest season of fashion shows featuring a record number of design debuts.
Hermes' Unique Approach to Creative Direction
Hermes has generally been an outlier when it comes to designer reshuffles, keeping creative directors like Nichanian, 71, and jewellery and footwear designer Pierre Hardy, 69, in their jobs for decades.
Wales Bonner, whose name circulated as speculation swirled around top fashion jobs in recent months, is a Central Saint Martins graduate who has won a number of menswear design awards.
(Reporting by Mimosa Spencer; Editing by Jan Harvey, Kirsten Donovan)
