Kering and Gucci announce the appointment of Demna as Gucci’s Artistic Director, starting July 2025. Demna, Artistic Director of Kering-owned Balenciaga since 2015, redefined modern luxury, earning global recognition and cementing his authority in the fashion industry.
Gucci Names Demna As New Artistic Director. image: Demna, Kering
Gucci has named Demna its new artistic director, selecting someone from within parent company Kering. Demna will be tasked with integrating a fresh design aesthetic into the heritage codes of Gucci and help stabilise its market position — Kering reported that Gucci’s 2024 revenue amounted to €7.7 billion, down 23 percent as reported and down 21 percent on a comparable basis.
“Demna’s contribution to the industry, to Balenciaga, and to the Group’s success has been tremendous“, said François-Henri Pinault, Chairman and CEO of Kering. “His creative power is exactly what Gucci needs. As I thank him for everything he has accomplished over the past ten years, I look forward to seeing him shape Gucci’s new artistic direction.”
“Demna’s profound understanding of contemporary culture, coupled with his extensive experience in conceiving visionary projects, has established him as one of the most influential and accomplished creatives of his generation“, expressed Francesca Bellettini, Kering Deputy CEO in charge of Brand Development. “His appointment as Artistic Director is the perfect catalyst to reignite Gucci’s creative energy.”
Why is Demna the right choice? Per BoF: “Balenciaga’s sales roughly quadrupled in the first five years of Demna’s tenure, topping €1.5 billion by 2021. His final outing for the brand will be July’s haute couture show, after which he will officially begin his new position…“
“I have always admired Demna’s creative approach, that is both unique and powerful. His ability to honour the iconic legacy of a brand while embracing a modern sensibility is extraordinary“, said Stefano Cantino, CEO of Gucci. “With Gucci’s strengthened foundations as a springboard, Demna will lead the House towards renewed fashion authority and enduring cultural relevance.”
Demna is truly excited to join the Gucci family. “It is an honour to contribute to a House that I deeply respect and have long admired. I look forward to writing together with Stefano and the whole team a new chapter of Gucci’s amazing story.”
RELATED CONTENT
Gucci Ends Its Collaboration With Sabato De Sarno
Gucci Leverages Web 3.0 Technologies To Lead Luxury Fashion
About Demna
Demna was born in Sukhumi, Georgia — the former Soviet Union. His family fled the civil war there in 1993 to Tbilisi. In 2001, he graduated from Tbilisi State University with a degree in International Economics and that same year, immigrated to Düsseldorf, Germany, with his parents.
After nurturing an interest in dressmaking for years, he finally pursued his lifelong dream by enrolling in the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, where he won the ITS Collection of the Year in 2004, and graduated in 2006 with a Master’s Degree in Fashion Design. Demna honed his craft at Louis Vuitton and Maison Margiela, and in 2014, launched his label, Vêtements. He presented his first runway collection in Paris later that year, earning critical acclaim for its high concept.
In October 2015, Demna was appointed Artistic Director of Balenciaga where he brought his garment-focused philosophy to the House while revitalising the legacy of Cristóbal Balenciaga. His debut for the House in March 2016 introduced a bold new direction centered on realism, transforming utilitarian garments into a modern wardrobe with the attitude of M. Balenciaga’s couture. Balenciaga’s first menswear show took place in June 2016, followed by his unification of the menswear and womenswear presentations in 2018.
In 2021, Balenciaga launched its first Couture collection since 1968, when Cristóbal Balenciaga closed his ateliers. Demna’s debut haute couture collection was presented in the reopened Balenciaga Couture salons at 10 Avenue George V—where M. Balenciaga originally established it in Paris. This revival heralded the creative freedom of making couture relevant for a new era.
Since 2017, Demna’s innovative approach has earned him International Ready-to-Wear Designer of the Year and Accessories Designer of the Year at the Fashion Awards, International Designer of the Year and International Women’s Designer of the Year at the CFDA Fashion Awards, Leader of Change in Creativity by the British Fashion Council, and one of Time 100’s Most Influential People in the World.
Jasmeen Dugal is Associate Editor at FashionABC, contributing her insights on fashion, technology, and sustainability. She brings with herself more than two decades of editorial experience, working for national newspapers and luxury magazines in India.
Jasmeen Dugal has worked with exchange4media as a senior writer contributing articles on the country’s advertising and marketing movements, and then with Condenast India as Net Editor where she helmed Vogue India’s official website in terms of design, layout and daily content. Besides this, she is also an entrepreneur running her own luxury portal, Explosivefashion, which highlights the latest in luxury fashion and hospitality.
