Hermès appoints Grace Wales Bonner as its new menswear creative director, succeeding Véronique Nichanian after 37 years leading the iconic French maison.
Hermès International has confirmed the appointment of Grace Wales Bonner as its new menswear creative director, succeeding Véronique Nichanian, who stepped down on 16 October after 37 years leading the division. With this decision, the French maison ushers in a new era that aims to blend its artisanal heritage with a modern vision.
Pierre-Alexis Dumas, Hermès’ artistic director, highlighted that Wales Bonner’s arrival “will bring a contemporary perspective on fashion, craftsmanship, and culture, combining her artistic sensibility with the house’s legacy.” He added that this collaboration “marks the beginning of a creative dialogue that will continue to evolve.”
For her part, Wales Bonner stated: “It is an immense honour to be appointed artistic director of Hermès Men’s Ready-to-Wear. Beginning this new chapter and joining a house with such deep tradition is a dream come true.”
Of British-Jamaican descent, Wales Bonner graduated from Central Saint Martins in 2014 and has since been acclaimed for her exploration of global Black identity, Savile Row tailoring, and her ability to merge elegance with contemporary culture. Her debut collection, “Afrique”, earned her the L’Oréal Professionnel Talent Award, and just a year later she received the British Fashion Award for Emerging Menswear Designer. In 2016, she won the prestigious LVMH Young Designer Prize and later expanded her brand to include womenswear.
In recent years, she has collaborated with Adidas, Dior, and artist Kerry James Marshall, as well as serving as a guest designer at Pitti Uomo and curating the Artist’s Choice exhibition at New York’s MoMA. Her appointment at Hermès cements her position as one of the most influential designers of her generation and reinforces the brand’s commitment to a culturally relevant vision of contemporary luxury.
