Couture label ArdAzAei names new general manager

ArdAzAei, known for its responsibly produced couture collections, has appointed industry veteran Ulrik Garde Due as directeur general (general manager) as the fashion house gears up for international expansion and launch a ready-to-wear collection in October.

Garde Due has more than 30 years of leadership experience across both legacy luxury houses, including Celine, Burberry and Georg Jensen, and high-growth emerging brands, such as Cecilie Bahnsen.

His appointment comes as ArdAzAei looks to its next chapter of growth, driving commitment to scalability, sustainability, and brand development, as well as positioning the fashion house for international expansion.

Johannes Falk, co-founder of ArdAzAei, said in a statement: “Ulrik is a seasoned executive with a deep understanding of how to translate creative excellence into market opportunity. “This marks a pivotal evolution for our Maison. His leadership will allow us to balance our uncompromising artistic standards with the operational strength required for growth.”

Purpose-led fashion house ArdAzAei tap Ulrik Garde Due to drive international expansion

The announcement comes ahead of the fashion house’s upcoming couture catwalk show on July 10 in Paris, where it will present its newest collection as a guest member under the official Paris Haute Couture calendar.

ArdAzAei is also preparing to expand into ready-to-wear and will present its debut collection during Paris Fashion Week this October. This line will maintain the fashion house’s creative and ethical integrity, with most styles being GOTS-certified and crafted from organic, custom-developed textiles. Pieces will be produced in EPV-certified ateliers in France (Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant), ensuring full traceability, environmental accountability, and French heritage-grade craftsmanship.

Garde Due, added: “The Company is building something truly exceptional. ArdAzAei is answering a global demand for fashion that carries meaning - crafted with precision, driven by purpose.

“We’re entering a chapter where emotionally intelligent design must meet commercial scale, and I’m excited to bring this vision to the global consumer.”

Purpose-led fashion house ArdAzAei was founded by the Swedish-Iranian artistic director Bahareh Ardakani and her partner in Stockholm in 2018, blending French savoir-faire, Persian heritage, and Scandinavian design principles to offer “modern femininity, expressed through architectural silhouettes”. It made its debut off-schedule at Paris Haute Couture Week in 2022, establishing its atelier in Paris shortly after, and has a boutique on Rue Saint-Florentin, close to Place de la Concorde.