The end of 2024 came with a flurry of announcements: John Galliano was set to leave Maison Margiela after a decade, Matthieu Blazy would be the new creative director of Chanel, while Louise Trotter – formerly of Carven – was to replace Blazy at Bottega Veneta. Before that, there was news that Sarah Burton was appointed as creative director of Givenchy, Haider Ackermann would head up Tom Ford, and Kim Jones would exit Fendi as artistic director of the house’s womenswear and couture collections (his replacement is yet to be announced). Lanvin, Dries Van Noten and Celine have also newly instated design leads (Peter Copping, Julian Klausner and Michael Rider respectively), while rumours continue to swirl about further movements in fashion’s long-running game of musical chairs.
Which is to say that 2025 sees fashion in a state of flux: with all of these appointments and exits being announced in the latter half of 2024, the results of this new draft of designers – or indeed, the departures of others – yet to be revealed on the runway. And, while this leaves a note of uncertainty, it also sets the stage for an exciting season ahead, as fashion reshapes itself in what might be dramatic new ways – as ever, it is intriguing to see which of these appointments really catches fire with both critic and consumer. Watch this space.
