Who designs every major fashion house in 2026, who has moved, and which houses are still waiting for a new creative director.
By Shreya S · Last reviewed 31 October 2026
On this page: The full list · Vacancies · The great reshuffle · The Ayerhs view
The full list
Who is the creative director of each major fashion house in 2026?
| House | Creative director | Appointed |
|---|---|---|
| Alaïa | None named (Pieter Mulier left in 2026) | – |
| Alexander McQueen | None named (Seán McGirr left in October 2026) | – |
| Giorgio Armani | Silvana Armani and Leo Dell’Orco; Dario Vitale at Emporio Armani | 2025; Vitale 2026 |
| Balenciaga | Pierpaolo Piccioli | 2025 |
| Balmain | Antonin Tron | 2025 |
| Bottega Veneta | Louise Trotter | 2024 |
| Burberry | Daniel Lee | 2022 |
| Celine | Michael Rider | 2025 |
| Chanel | Matthieu Blazy | 2024 |
| Chloé | Chemena Kamali | 2023 |
| Dior | Jonathan Anderson | 2025 |
| Dries Van Noten | Julian Klausner | 2024 |
| Fendi | Maria Grazia Chiuri | 2025 |
| Givenchy | Sarah Burton | 2024 |
| Gucci | Demna | 2025 |
| Hermès | Nadège Vanhée (women); Grace Wales Bonner (men) | 2014; 2025 |
| Jean Paul Gaultier | Duran Lantink | 2025 |
| Loewe | Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez | 2025 |
| Louis Vuitton | Nicolas Ghesquière (women); Pharrell Williams (men) | 2013; 2023 |
| Maison Margiela | Glenn Martens | 2025 |
| Miu Miu | Miuccia Prada | Founder |
| Moschino | Loris Messina and Simone Rizzo | 2026 |
| Mugler | Miguel Castro Freitas | 2025 |
| Oscar de la Renta | None named (Kim and Garcia left in 2025) | – |
| Prada | Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons | Simons 2020 |
| Rabanne | Olivier Rousteing | 2026 |
| Saint Laurent | Anthony Vaccarello | 2016 |
| Schiaparelli | Daniel Roseberry | 2019 |
| Valentino | Alessandro Michele | 2024 |
| Versace | Pieter Mulier | 2026 |
| Vivienne Westwood | Andreas Kronthaler | Led the house since 2022 |
Which houses are still designed by their founders?
Ralph Lauren, Michael Kors, Marc Jacobs, Rick Owens, Stella McCartney, Thom Browne, Jacquemus, Elie Saab, Iris van Herpen and Viktor & Rolf.
Vacancies
Which fashion houses have no creative director right now?
As of 31 October 2026: Alexander McQueen, after Seán McGirr stepped down in October 2026; Alaïa, after Pieter Mulier left for Versace; and Oscar de la Renta, whose in-house team has led design since Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia left. We update this list when appointments are announced.
The great reshuffle
Why did so many houses change designers in 2025 and 2026?
Slowing luxury sales after the post-pandemic boom pushed groups to look for fresh energy, and one move triggered the next. Matthieu Blazy left Bottega Veneta for Chanel; Jonathan Anderson left Loewe for Dior; Demna left Balenciaga for Gucci, opening the door for Pierpaolo Piccioli; Pieter Mulier left Alaïa for Versace. More than a dozen major houses debuted new designers within about eighteen months.
What does a creative director actually do?
They set the vision for everything a house shows and sells: runway collections, accessories, store design, campaigns and often the casting and images. They lead a large studio of designers rather than sketching every piece themselves.
The Ayerhs view
Should new designers get more time?
Yes. Many of today’s most admired tenures, from Ghesquière at Louis Vuitton to Roseberry at Schiaparelli, took several seasons to find their voice. Judging a designer on a debut does fashion no favours.
Read on Ayerhs: The Unfair Scrutiny: Why Young Designers at Heritage Houses Deserve More Grace
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