Hermès has appointed Grace Wales Bonner as its new creative director of menswear, marking a major generational and cultural shift at the French luxury house. The British designer will present her first collection for the brand in January 2027, succeeding Véronique Nichanian, who is stepping down after nearly four decades at the helm.
Wales Bonner, who launched her eponymous label in 2014, has built a global reputation for her thoughtful approach to heritage, identity, and craftsmanship. Her appointment represents a bold move for Hermès — a house known for continuity, precision, and discretion — and underscores its willingness to engage with a more diverse and conceptually driven vision of modern luxury.
Nichanian’s final show will take place during Paris Men’s Week in January 2026, with the Spring/Summer 2027 collection handled by the studio team. Hermès will skip the June men’s calendar as the transition takes place.
Wales Bonner’s dual role at her own label and Hermès suggests a continued dialogue between independent creativity and institutional heritage. Since founding her brand, she has become one of London’s most respected voices in menswear, blending European tailoring with references to diasporic culture, sportswear, and spirituality. Her ongoing collaboration with Adidas has also extended her reach to a global audience.
Born in London to an English mother and Jamaican father, Wales Bonner studied at Central Saint Martins and quickly became a critical and commercial force. She has received several of fashion’s most prestigious awards, including the British Fashion Award for Emerging Menswear Designer, the LVMH Young Designer Prize, and the CFDA International Men’s Designer of the Year.
The announcement caps a significant year for the designer. After returning to the Paris runway in June 2025, she attracted global attention at the Met Gala, where her opulent, cowrie shell–adorned velvet suit was featured in the Costume Institute’s exhibition “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.” Her continued emphasis on craftsmanship and historical reference aligns closely with Hermès’s own values, even as her aesthetic introduces a sharper cultural and intellectual edge to the brand’s menswear identity.
Hermès’s decentralized creative structure remains intact, with Pierre-Alexis Dumas overseeing the brand as general artistic director, Nadège Vanhee leading womenswear, and Pierre Hardy heading footwear, jewelry, and beauty. Still, the menswear division is a critical pillar of the company’s growth, contributing to a 5.5 percent increase in ready-to-wear and accessories revenue — totaling €2.26 billion in the first half of 2025.
Wales Bonner’s appointment adds momentum to a new era of female leadership in luxury fashion. Following Rachel Scott’s debut at Proenza Schouler and Louise Trotter’s at Bottega Veneta, her arrival at Hermès — alongside Maria Grazia Chiuri’s forthcoming debut at Fendi — signals a recalibration of power in menswear.
For Hermès, the choice of a designer deeply invested in culture, intellect, and identity suggests a subtle but significant evolution of the house’s language — one that honors its history while opening the door to a broader, more global conversation about what luxury menswear can be.