Will the influx of Creative Director moves revitalise the luxury sector?
If you thought we left the countless Creative Director moves back in 2024, you were wrong. But, are these constant designer appointments going to give the luxury industry a much-needed boost? Let's see what industry insiders have to say on whether or not this will strengthen the luxury market.
2024 was a year of constant Creative Director reshuffles, not to mention December, which saw John Galliano exit Maison Margiela, Louise Trotter exit Carven for Bottega Veneta, and Matthieu Blazy leave Bottega to take the top spot at Chanel - and these moves are showing no signs of slowing down in 2025.
In the early days of 2025, the fashion industry made some major announcements, such as the duo behind Proenza Schouler exiting the helm of the brand they founded. This was the first domino to fall in a string of major moves.
From then on, rumours began to emerge that the Schouler boys were headed to Loewe, leaving Jonathan Anderson free to take the reins at Dior - an answer to many fashion insiders' prayers. But that wasn't all. Those in the know have spilt the beans on Daniel Lee's departure from Burberry and potential move back into the world of minimalism in the top job at German brand Jil Sander.
Erin Mullaney, ex-fashion buyer and luxury fashion expert said: "To be honest, I have never seen this much movement at the top of the luxury houses before in my 25-year career.
"It is unprecedented to have this much change at once and it feels like there is something bigger driving these changes. Something under the surface: cultural change, economic and political uncertainty, rising prices, an increase in the cost of doing business, competition from China etc have created the perfect storm."
As the luxury market continues to struggle, it's no surprise that the biggest houses are looking to revamp demand, just as Gucci did this time last year when it announced Sabato de Sarno was taking the top spot from Alessandro Michele.
According to Mullaney, "The role of a CD is so much more than it was 10-20 years ago". The designers are under "more pressure than ever to create shows that are bigger and better than their competitors in far-flung locations" to create buzz and drive sales.
Earlier this month, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandes, the duo who founded Proenza Schouler back in the year 2002, officially announced they're stepping down from the New York-based brand.

Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandes
Though the designers didn't divulge their plans for the future, rumours are spreading like wildfire that they're heading to Spanish house Loewe to take over from Jonathan Anderson, who helped to boost Loewe's owner LVMH's sales, thanks to his bold creativity (remember the 3D-printed hoodie?).
So, if the Proenza boys are heading to Loewe, does this mean Jonathan Anderson is off to take the top spot at French fashion house Dior?
Though we're still waiting on the big announcement, Marcus Jaye, industry commentator and founder of The Chic Geek, reminds us that "brands need to remember they are bigger than any Creative Director and put themselves first. They’ve fallen into the predicament of relying on a 'star' designer to seemingly make all their problems go away, and, when they leave, they are back to square one."
"The talent pool also feels like it is getting smaller and the usual suspects are moving around and doing their own thing just with a different logo. Every brand and Creative Director are different... but it feels like fewer and fewer of these appointments are working", Jaye added.

Jonathan Anderson
Jonathan Anderson, one of the 'stars' Jaye refers to, founded his eponymous label JW Anderson in 2008. Since then, he has become a driving force in the fashion world thanks to the designer's witty and gender-blurring creations. After arriving at Loewe, the brand predominantly known for its leather goods, Anderson's influence put its ready-to-wear on countless wishlists, from his 3D flower dresses to his pixelated hoodies and sought-after logo-stamped vests. Credit is due where credit is due; Anderson knows his way around ready-to-wear.
Jaye continued: "At the moment, the three largest luxury womenswear brands - Dior, Louis Vuitton, Chanel - are producing very lacklustre fashion. No wonder sales are falling. Dior and Louis Vuitton are due a change and rumours surround Dior with - hopefully - the appointment of JW Anderson. Anderson is clever in combining fashion with art and also making it feel commercial yet clever and fun. With Anderson, you will see things you feel like you haven’t seen before, which is very difficult and stands out in an industry obsessed with nostalgia and archive."
With Grazia Chiruri and Kim Jones out at Dior and Anderson out at Loewe, how will this affect luxury sales? Well, according to Rachel Reavley, Strategic Partner and Adviser at luxury reseller Hardly Ever Worn It, "Creative Director changes at major fashion houses often drive a surge in searches and sales with an eye on collectability rather than deter shoppers.
"When a designer’s tenure is coming to an end, fashion enthusiasts and collectors look to secure pieces from their final collections, recognising them as part of fashion history. This is particularly true for influential designers like Maria Grazia Chiuri at Dior or John Galliano at Margiela, as their distinct creative visions define an era for the brand."
She pointed out that the speculation about an incoming designer can also fuel excitement. "This cycle of change ultimately adds to the brand’s collectability and general heat, making past and future designs more sought after on Hewi's platform for sure."
Hanushka Toni, founder of reseller Sellier, agreed. She noted, "Creative direction at major fashion houses generates a lot of buzz... These shifts make waves in the primary market, on the resale side, however, the market tends to hold its own."

Daniel Lee
If there was ever a luxury brand that could use some help to get its sales back on track and create a buzz around its collections, it's Burberry. Amid its turnaround efforts, Artistic Director Daniel Lee is rumoured to exit the struggling British retailer and head to Jil Sander, the German luxury brand known for influencing the minimalist style that defined the fashion of the 1990s. Lee would succeed design duo Luke and Lucie Meier, who have been at the helm of Jil Sander since April 2017.
During his time at Bottega Veneta, Lee turned it into the powerhouse it is today for Kering. However, the designer had a harder time balancing Burberry's heritage and his penchant for minimalist codes. With this in mind, it seems that the British designer is a strong fit for minimalist Jil Sander.
To add to the chaos, John Galliano announced via Instagram that he would be exiting his role as Creative Director of Maison Margiela, leaving the industry twittering over who would take the helm at the French luxury house founded by Belgian designer Martin Margiela in 1988.

John Galliano
Belgian designer Glenn Martens, who served as Creative Director for the recently shuttered Y/Project until September, was recently appointed to take creative reins at Maison Margiela.
Despite varied reactions to the constant string of new appointments amongst the purveyors of fashion, there's clear excitement when it comes to Jonathan Anderson's potential move and Glenn Martens heading to Margiela.

Glenn Martens
"The two most influential designers in the world right now are Jonathan Anderson and Glenn Martens. Glenn Martens is a great fit at Margiela. He’s very Tabi," said Jaye.
"I am also excited for Matthieu Blazy at Chanel simply because he is one of the most talented designers we have right now and I hope he will breathe some fresh air into the brand. We still don't know where Hedi Slimane will end up (Giorgio Armani rumours are circulating) or John Galliano (we know it's not Dior now), so that will be interesting to watch," added Mullaney.

Matthieu Blazy
As for these moves and their effect on the struggling luxury market, Jaye believes it's the lowering quality that's deterring shoppers, whether or not they are fans of the Creative Directors or their work.
In his opinion, "the industry will need to move into a more classic phase until something more exciting comes along. It needs to reassess the value it offers consumers, at any price point, and show its quality and longevity, not just say it."