Constant change and whispers: the creative shifts that defined 2024

Nothing is as constant as change – it may sound like a cliché, but the fashion industry proves it year after year, particularly when it comes to its creative directors. While change has long been a defining feature of the fashion world, the creative upheavals of 2024 have been nothing short of unprecedented in their frequency.

FashionUnited takes a look back at a year where speculation buzzed just as loudly as actual developments, summarising the key changes among the ranks of creative directors for you.

January: A Slow but Steady Start

2024 had hardly begun when the first creative director of the year was appointed. Max Kibardin took on the role of creative director at the Italian menswear brand Caruso. Similarly, Derek Lam announced his return to the New York fashion scene as creative director of Callas Milano. A comeback of a different kind – this time in the virtual sphere – was made by former Mugler creative director Nicola Formichetti. He was appointed Artistic Director of Syky, a Web3 fashion platform specialising in digital luxury, marking his transition into the digital realm.

Just when it seemed like the month would pass without any more surprises, Moschino introduced Adrian Appiolaza as its new creative director at the end of January. But the news was overshadowed by bittersweet feelings. Moschino's previous creative director, Davide Renne, had died suddenly and unexpectedly last November - before he could even present his first collection.

February: Continuous Evolution

While the appointment of a new creative head at Moschino was eagerly anticipated, Zac Posen’s surprise appointment as Creative Director at Gap Inc. caught many off guard. Although the US brand had parted ways with Global Creative Director Len Peltier back in August 2023, few expected a designer of Posen’s calibre – who had shuttered his eponymous label in 2019 – to take up the role.

Significant changes were also seen at Filippa K, as the Swedish label announced Anna Teurnell as its new Creative Lead. She succeeded German-Finnish designer Liisa Kessler, who left the company on 1 February after nearly two years at the helm.

March: A Month of Farewells – and One Return

The fashion world is no stranger to surprises when it comes to creative directors, but few tenures have been as brief as Walter Chiapponi’s. He exited Blumarine in March after serving just one season as Creative Director. In stark contrast, Dries Van Noten marked the end of an era. After nearly 40 years as Creative Director of his eponymous brand, the designer announced his departure in March, leaving an indelible legacy.

There was an almost seamless transition at Valentino, despite Pierpaolo Piccioli’s remarkable 25-year tenure at the Italian fashion house. The industry had barely absorbed the news of Piccioli’s departure when his successor was announced just five days later: former Gucci designer Alessandro Michele took the reins as Creative Director at the Roman maison.

April: Rumour Mill in Full Swing

While Michele’s appointment at Valentino put an end to months of speculation about his next move, the fashion rumour mill never stays quiet for long. April was dominated by whispers of a potential departure of Hedi Slimane from the French luxury house Celine. This was the first of many rumours to spread like wildfire throughout the industry in 2024, and, as it turned out, one of the few that has so far proven to be true.

May: Unexpected Changes

One appointment that no one could have predicted – or even imagined – before it was announced in May 2024 was Haider Ackermann’s role as the first-ever Creative Director of Canada Goose. While it wasn’t the only major news for the French designer this year, it was undoubtedly the most unexpected. By contrast, Michael Rider’s exit from Polo Ralph Lauren was far less surprising. Having already been tipped as a possible successor to Slimane at Celine, Rider’s departure from the US brand only added fuel to the fire of industry speculation.

Elsewhere, there was a new arrival without a corresponding departure. After five years without a head designer, Calvin Klein named Veronica Leoni as its new Creative Director. Under her leadership, Calvin Klein is set to make its return to New York Fashion Week next season after an almost seven-year hiatus. The brand was last seen on the runway in September 2018, under the direction of designer Raf Simons.

June: The Race for Chanel Begins

To say that Virginie Viard’s exit from Chanel in June was unexpected might be an overstatement, given the months of speculation surrounding her future at the French maison. However, her sudden departure – a clandestine exit without a final bow at the brand she had led since Karl Lagerfeld’s passing and served for 30 years – was certainly a shock. Not shocking enough, however, to stop the fashion world from immediately speculating about Chanel’s future. These musings would continue for several months until clarity finally emerged in December.

Away from the major fashion capitals, an internal promotion took place. Swedish footwear and fashion brand Axel Arigato appointed Jens Werner as its new Creative Director. Werner, who had led Axel Arigato’s ready-to-wear division from 2021 to 2023, succeeded the brand’s co-founder and former Creative Director, Max Svärdh.

Meanwhile, Lanvin, which had begun searching for a replacement for Creative Director Bruno Sialelli last year, finally found its candidate in June. The role went to Peter Copping, who joined the French maison after years as Artistic Director at Balenciaga. Copping is set to make his debut next season.

July: Rapid Turnovers

Ports 1961 followed Axel Arigato’s lead in July, promoting talent from within its own design team. The Milan-based womenswear label named Francesco Bertolini as Design Director. Bertolini, who had been part of the Ports 1961 design team since 2019, brought prior experience from esteemed houses like Salvatore Ferragamo, Vionnet, and the Prada Group.

However, July also highlighted how quickly a brand’s trust in its creative leadership can waver. After Tom Ford’s eponymous founder stepped down, the brand initially entrusted Peter Hawkings, an internal talent, to lead. But in July, it was revealed that Hawking had resigned from his role. While Tom Ford – now owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. – resumed its search for a new Creative Director, Blumarine announced that David Koma would succeed Walter Chiapponi as Creative Director.

August: Fashion Presses Pause

August appeared to offer the fashion world a brief respite from constant upheaval, allowing the industry to enjoy the joys of summer. In hindsight, however, this pause was merely a prelude. The sector was quietly preparing for the upcoming Fashion Week season and a turbulent final quarter, defined by major shake-ups, rumours, and an endless carousel of personnel changes.

September: No Stone Left Unturned

September, traditionally one of the busiest months in fashion, lived up to its reputation. While this is usually attributed to the Fashion Week spectacle, in 2024, the spotlight was on unexpected developments at the helm of several creative departments, sparking widespread attention and discussion.

The changes at Benetton were anticipated after weeks of restructuring, which ultimately led to the departure of Creative Director Andrea Incontri. However, Clare Waight Keller’s appointment as Creative Director at Uniqlo took most by surprise. While the former Givenchy designer had already been collaborating with the Japanese retailer for about a year on her Uniqlo : C line, the sudden decision to entrust her with the main line – including menswear – marked a significant shift.

Equally unexpected was the swift announcement that Haider Ackermann would become the new Creative Director at Tom Ford. Long regarded as a potential successor to Karl Lagerfeld at Chanel, Ackermann became the second creative head of the brand following its founder’s departure. His role at the luxury house did not impact his previously announced position as Creative Director at Canada Goose. Ackermann will continue to lead the Canadian label despite his new appointment at Tom Ford.

It was a different story at Y/Project, where the French brand parted ways with Creative Director Glenn Martens after 11 years. This move allows Martens to focus entirely, at least for now, on his role as Creative Director at Diesel.

After 43 years at the helm, Alberta Ferretti announced her retirement as Creative Director of her eponymous label. While the industry had to wait a few more weeks to learn who would succeed her, September brought the resolution of one of fashion’s most closely guarded secrets: after nine months without a creative head, Givenchy appointed former McQueen Creative Director Sarah Burton to lead the maison.

No sooner was one mystery solved than another emerged. The future of former Valentino designer Pierpaolo Piccioli remained unclear, and the industry’s impatience grew. Rumours suggested that Piccioli was poised to bring his creative vision to Fendi. This persistent speculation lingered for some time but has yet to be confirmed.

October: The Rumour Mill Heats Up

The industry had little time to catch its breath after September’s turbulence. In early October, two of fashion’s worst-kept secrets were confirmed: Hedi Slimane left Celine, and in the same breath, Michael Rider was named as his successor.

Slimane’s departure from the French maison did little to quell rumours about his next move. Speculation immediately swirled around a potential switch to Chanel. But Slimane wasn’t the only designer in the spotlight. Even before Dior made any formal announcements, whispers circulated that Jonathan Anderson of Loewe might transition to the French house. Whether he would oversee womenswear or menswear seemed to be of little concern to those spreading the gossip.

Speculation surrounding Jonathan Anderson gained further momentum with Kim Jones’ partial exit. The designer stepped down from his role as Creative Director of womenswear at Fendi, which led many to consider the possibility of his departure from Dior as well. While this remains conjecture, Filippo Grazioli’s departure from Missoni was more definitive. Having joined the brand in 2022 to succeed interim Creative Director Alberto Caliri, Grazioli now makes way for Caliri to reclaim the role.

Meanwhile, Giorgio Armani, steadfast even at the age of 90, hinted at the possibility of stepping back from his eponymous label in the next two or three years. Alberta Ferretti, however, had already made her decision, passing the baton to Lorenzo Serafini just weeks after announcing her own retirement.

November: A Brief Respite

Compared to the upheaval of previous months, November offered a slight breather. However, the industry faced the fallout of yet another failed revival attempt for the cult label Helmut Lang. Creative Director Peter Do stepped down after less than a year, marking the latest in a series of efforts to reposition the brand, originally founded in 1986 by the self-taught designer Helmut Lang.

December: The Grand Finale

After a chaotic year, the fashion world might have hoped for a serene festive season, but there were still too many loose ends to tie up—and significant announcements to make before the year’s end.

December began with a major declaration from Dries Van Noten. The designer introduced his successor, Julian Klausner, who will take on the role of Creative Director. Though not yet a household name, Klausner has worked closely with Van Noten for several years, contributing to the design and development of womenswear collections. Going forward, he will oversee both women’s and men’s collections for the brand.

Then came a whirlwind week that reshaped the course of three major fashion houses in just 48 hours. First, John Galliano announced his departure from Maison Margiela through an emotional Instagram post, fueling speculation about his next move. While rumours quickly linked him to Chanel, this possibility was ruled out within hours.

Galliano is now widely tipped to take the helm at Fendi or even return to Dior, where he once propelled the brand to global acclaim. However, his future took a backseat when news broke of Louise Trotter’s departure from Carven. The revelation alone caused a stir, but moments later it was confirmed that Trotter would be joining Bottega Veneta, replacing Matthieu Blazy.

The true bombshell followed soon after: Blazy, relinquishing his role at Bottega Veneta to Trotter, would step into the role of Creative Director at Chanel.

This dramatic conclusion seemed like enough upheaval for one year, but fashion thrives on a good rumour. As 2024 drew to a close, one persistent whisper dominated: Jonathan Anderson’s alleged departure from Loewe, reportedly to take on a role at Dior. Whether it would involve menswear or womenswear remains a closely guarded secret. Meanwhile, speculation about his successors at Loewe pointed to Lucie and Luke Meier, the designer duo currently leading Jil Sander.

Whether this transition will materialise is still uncertain, but one thing is clear: the game of creative musical chairs will continue in 2025—and the rumour mill will never fall silent.

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