PARIS — Gucci has appointed Demna as its new artistic director, selecting a prominent fashion innovator from within parent company Kering’s creative team to lead its next phase. Demna, originally from Georgia, has served as creative director of Kering’s Balenciaga brand since 2015. There, his style of oversized, Goth-inspired sportswear combined with the house’s couture traditions, sparking a revival for the Parisian brand. Over the years, Demna has set the fashion agenda with bold and subversive ideas, redefining luxury for a new era through sculptural couture and innovative designs. Analysts estimate that Balenciaga’s sales quadrupled during the first five years of Demna’s leadership, reaching over €1.5 billion by 2021. His final collection for Balenciaga will be the July haute couture show before transitioning to Gucci. At Gucci, Demna will aim to reassert the brand’s fashion authority, balancing reigniting excitement with stabilizing its positioning. Recent years have seen Gucci’s sales stagnate due to waning enthusiasm for the nostalgic styling of former creative director Alessandro Michele and successor Sabato De Sarno’s more understated vision. Kering’s deputy CEO Francesca Bellettini emphasized the importance of reinforcing Gucci’s fashion authority to elevate the brand further. Demna’s career began in the studios of Louis Vuitton and Maison Margiela, followed by co-founding the brand Vêtements before joining Balenciaga. This appointment marks a shift from Kering’s usual practice of promoting behind-the-scenes talent, instead opting for an established artistic director with a proven track record. Despite his success, Demna must demonstrate he can recapture the current trends suitable for Gucci, a much larger brand than Balenciaga. While Balenciaga’s high-end ready-to-wear and couture businesses have grown, broader audience excitement has cooled recently. Industry sources indicate that Balenciaga’s business rebounded thanks to strong support in Asia and successful product launches like the Rodeo bag. Losing Demna creates uncertainty for Balenciaga, but it also offers an opportunity to refresh its image. Gucci has faced challenges in recent years, with sales booming under Michele and CEO Marco Bizzarri but suffering significantly during the pandemic. Since Michele and Bizzarri left, Gucci has focused on enhancing its product offering and distribution strategy. With a new CEO and creative vision, Gucci aims to reclaim its fashion relevance while maintaining its high-end image. Stefano Cantino, the new CEO, stated that Demna’s vision for Gucci will not replicate his work at Balenciaga but will focus on what is right for Gucci. The impact of this appointment remains to be seen, with Gucci’s next major event being a May 15th cruise show in Florence. — news from The Business of Fashion
