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(NEW YORK) It’s official, at long last: Nicolas Ghesquière has been appointed artistic director of women’s collections at Louis Vuitton after weeks of speculation. The designer succeeds Marc Jacobs, who left Vuitton on October 2 to focus on his eponymous brand as it ventures into IPO territory.
Ghesquière began his career at Jean Paul Gaultier and Thierry Mugler before joining Balenciaga on a freelance basis. In 1997, Ghesquière was named creative director at Balenciaga, kicking off a critically-adored decade and a half at the label. Ghesquière left Balenciaga in November 2012; one month later, Alexander Wang was announced as Ghesquière’s successor. Wang showed his first Balenciaga collection during the Fall 2013 shows in February.
Ghesquière’s arrival comes one year after big shifts on the business side at Vuitton, as the label tapped Bulgari and Fendi alum Michael Burke as Vuitton’s latest CEO last December. It was a return to familiar turf for Burke, who was president and CEO of Louis Vuitton North America from 1993 to 1997. Six months after Burke was settled (back) in at Vuitton, his second in command was secured. Delphine Arnault, the eldest child of LVMH chairman and CEO Bernard Arnault, became executive vice president at Vuitton in June.
How does Ghesquière feel about his new gig? “Louis Vuitton has always incarnated for me the symbol of ultimate luxury, innovation and exploration,” the designer told WWD. “I am very honored of the mission that I am entrusted with, and proud to join the history of this great maison. We share common values and a vision.”
The designer’s first Vuitton collection will be for Fall 2014, which will hit the catwalk in Paris in March. Ghesquière’s first year at LV will coincide with the venerable brand’s 160th birthday in 2014.
