Today, Kering announced that Demna, currently the creative director of Balenciaga, will take on the role of artistic director at Gucci beginning in early July. The news comes several weeks after Sabato De Sarno departed the brand. It also comes on the heels of what turned out to be Demna’s last Balenciaga ready-to-wear show.
In a statement, Kering Chairman and CEO Francois-Henri Pinault said, “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.” He added, “As I thank him for everything he has accomplished over the past 10 years, I look forward to seeing him shape Gucci’s new artistic direction.”
Demna has been steering the ship at Balenciaga since 2015, a tenure that has seen him transform the French fashion house into a mega brand beloved by a spectrum of super fans. The designer injected his singular vision from his very early days on the job, creating collections that blend the classic codes of Cristobal Balenciaga with Demna’s signature high-low, European street and club kid aesthetic.
There are few designers who have mastered the art of underground-meets-classic in the way he has, merging his incredible skills as a couturier and tailor with his innate ability to observe the world around him and design clothes that fit within that universe. In Demna’s Balenciaga, we have seen shape-shifting silhouettes, bold textures, upcycled fabrics, and, of course, theatrical, blockbuster shows, from a man-made snowglobe to a screening of a Balenciaga-themed episode of The Simpsons.
“I am truly excited to join the Gucci family,” Demna said in his own statement. “It is an honor to contribute to a house that I deeply respect and have long admired. I look forward to writing together with Stefano and the whole team a new chapter of Gucci’s amazing story.”
