Salomon names MM6 Maison Margiela designer as its first Creative Director

Salomon has appointed Heikki Salonen as its first-ever Creative Director, a newly created role that signals the French sneaker and mountainwear brand’s intent to accelerate its move into sportstyle territory.

Salonen joins Salomon following a 12-year tenure as creative head of MM6 Maison Margiela, bringing deep fashion credentials to a brand that has spent recent years becoming increasingly visible in cultural and fashion-led spaces beyond performance sport.

Once firmly rooted in performance sport, the brand’s footwear has gained cult status among stylists, editors and consumers drawn to its blend of functionality, archival design codes and subcultural credibility - making Salonen’s appointment feel less like a pivot and more like a formalisation of momentum already well underway.

Salonen described his transition to WWD as moving from "a hiker in the fashion world" to "a fashion guy in the hiking world".

His appointment accelerates the direction the brand has already been exploring through high-profile collaborations, including its ongoing partnership with MM6, as well as projects with The Broken Arm and Sandy Liang.

At Salomon, Salonen’s remit spans both product design and brand creative direction across all soft goods categories, placing him at the centre of the brand’s long-term evolution rather than limiting his influence to seasonal collections.

Chief Executive Officer, Guillaume Meyzenq, described the hire as a "unification of brand positioning, consumer experience and product innovation," adding that Salonen will join Salomon’s executive board.

A key early move has been the appointment of longtime collaborator Laura Herbst as Studio Director. Herbst previously worked with Salonen at MM6 and has held roles at Céline and Maison Margiela. Salomon is building a creative structure associated with luxury fashion houses rather than outdoor brands.

The timing of this appointment comes as Salomon is set to become a premium partner of the 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympics in Milan and Cortina, placing the brand on a global stage. It also comes amid wider leadership change at Salomon. In April, Global Chief Brand Officer Scott Mellin will exit the business. Nick Parkinson (formerly of Nike) remains Global Brand Creative Director, continuing to lead marketing and campaign execution while reporting into Salonen’s broader creative vision.