The quiet force: How Véronique Nichanian shaped Hermès menswear for almost four decades

In an industry that constantly reinvents itself, Véronique Nichanian has been a calming presence for decades. As the artistic director of menswear at Hermès, she shaped the French luxury fashion house's menswear for almost 40 years. She remained a constant while the fashion world around her changed at an ever-increasing pace. Now, she is stepping down.

Her departure announcement at the end of a season marked by upheaval may seem coincidental, yet it carries symbolic weight. The spring/summer 2026 season marked a noticeable generational shift with 15 designer debuts. It concluded with Nichanian's quiet departure. This was a comparatively silent farewell amidst loud new beginnings, highlighting the consistency of her decades-long work.

Truly quiet luxury

In her 37 years at Hermès, Nichanian forged a language that remained relevant through its continuity. Her fashion was never an end in itself or mere spectacle. It was a precise, quiet dialogue with everyday life and the men for whom she built a wardrobe. “Quiet luxury” may have been a buzzword a few seasons ago, but Nichanian's Hermès was its living embodiment. This was not achieved performatively to appeal to social media, but through a subtle understanding of what she created for the brand.

Hermès has remained true to this stance for decades. This is evident not only in the house's cultural resilience but also in its economic strength. While many luxury brands are suffering under current market conditions, Hermès is bucking the trend. In the first half of 2025, the group's core business, leather goods and saddlery, recorded a sales increase of 11.3 percent to 3.58 billion euros. Sales of clothing and accessories rose by 4.3 percent to 2.25 billion euros.

This is proof that quiet consistency and a clear focus on quality can endure even in an accelerated market. Nichanian's signature was an integral part of this success, not as the sole driver, but as a stable, reliable pulse within a brand that consistently refuses to chase short-term trends.

Her designs evolved because life changed, not because the market demanded it. This ability to slow down time, or even defy it, was perhaps her and Hermès’ greatest luxury.

Era of creative freedom

At the very beginning of her career, Nichanian stood on the threshold of a change in the fashion world. When she began her studies at the École de la Chambre Syndicale in 1976, the Parisian fashion scene had just started to break down traditional notions of femininity in clothing. Yves Saint Laurent had been the first couturier to launch a prêt-à-porter line under his own name in 1966. The legendary “Battle of Versailles” in 1971 had highlighted the growing importance of modern, sports-inspired clothing. Nevertheless, major French houses like Givenchy and Dior continued to dominate with their ideal of sublime elegance, which also shaped the training at the school.

After graduating from the École de la Chambre Syndicale, Nichanian moved into the menswear segment and worked for the Italian designer Nino Cerruti. There, she discovered her passion for the structural clarity of menswear and developed a deep understanding of fabrics and craftsmanship. She gained valuable experience in the studios in Milan and Paris, refining her eye for elegant nonchalance before she was finally contacted in 1987 by Jean-Louis Dumas, the then CEO and artistic director of Hermès. In a conversation that would be unthinkable today, he reportedly assured her of “full creative freedom,” an offer she accepted and which Hermès has honoured to this day.

The brand remained steadfast under her leadership in an era of acceleration, where many stagger between pre-fall, resort and capsule collections. Hermès stuck to two collections per year, forgoing interim formats and hectic reactions. Instead, the focus was on artisanal excellence. Nichanian did not chase trends; she built her designs on luxurious fabrics and a refined colour composition. These principles were consistently applied across clothing, shoes, accessories and watches.

Constant but always in motion

Nevertheless, fashion changed during the nearly four decades that Nichanian led Hermès, and her clothes reflected this transformation. This was not through grand statements about gender and its fluidity, but in subtle details. When the time was right, she began to incorporate fabrics previously considered feminine: transparency; silk; and flowing drapes. It was a discreet rewriting of codes that was never about provocation, but about evolution.

Similarly, during the Covid-19 lockdowns, she adapted the silhouettes to a looser, more casual style that suited both the brand and its clientele.

In July 2020, Hermès was one of the first brands to return to the digital runway. The show was held without an audience and featured a significantly reduced number of looks, only 18 instead of the usual 40 or so. It presented a relaxed style rarely associated with the brand's equestrian-inspired heritage.

Her true strength was perhaps most evident in the post-Covid era, as brands sought to regain trust and redefine their direction and their customers. Nichanian never raised her metaphorical voice; instead, she remained focused on the heart of the brand: artisanal perfection.

Although the spring/summer 2026 collection will not be the last presented by Véronique Nichanian – that honour belongs to the upcoming autumn/winter 2026 collection – it can already be seen as a brilliant farewell. It is a collection that once again underscores everything for which Nichanian and her time at Hermès will most likely be remembered: quiet elegance; masterful craftsmanship; and the timeless connection between tradition and modern luxury.

The spring/summer 2026 collection featured soft, monochrome brown tones interspersed with subtle green accents. These were combined with flowing, breathable fabrics and precise tailoring. Particularly impressive once again was the innovative treatment of leather, made breathable for the warm season through open quilting.

In the end, Nichanian, much like the house of Hermès to which she dedicated her professional life, remains a reserved but influential figure. Her presence was always one of the quietest, yet technically most impressive, in the fashion world. She never put herself in the spotlight, instead letting her designs speak for themselves: quietly, precisely and uncompromisingly. They reveal her unmistakable signature: an understated style; a deep knowledge of materials; and a keen sense of timelessness.

Nichanian did not just design fashion; she embodied an attitude – a quiet, enduring elegance that will last beyond trends. In an industry of constant change, she will hopefully be remembered as a calming force.