Annual overview: Musical chairs of creative directors in 2019

The rotating door of creative directors continues. In 2019 it was another busy year comings and goings in the fashion industry. FashionUnited created an overview of the most shocking changes of the year in case you missed it.

January - Bruno Sialelli new creative director of Lanvin

The new owner of Lanvin, the Chinese conglomerate Fosun International, confirms that 31-year-old Sialelli will be the creative director taking over from Olivier Lapidus, who quits after only eight months. Sialelli is now the fourth creative director of the fashion house in four years; he was preceded by Alber Elbaz who achieved great success until 2015, Bouchra Jarrar, and Lapidus.

Sialelli is from the Spanish fashion house Loewe, where he received the was creatively in charge of men's fashion. Before he joined Loewe in 2016. he held executive positions at fashion brands such as Paco. Rabanne, Balenciaga and Acne Studios. Fosun would with Sialelli a 'central wanting to go in a new direction.

February - Paul Andrew appointed creative director Salvatore Ferragamo

Paul Andrew, former creative director of women's fashion at Salvatore Ferragamo is promoted to creative director of the brand.

He started in 2016 at Salvatore Ferragamo as director of women's shoes and was appointed a year later as creative director of women's fashion. Before that, the English designer worked for nine years for the American fashion brand Donna Karan, where he was vice president of the design department, shoes and accessories. In 2014 he won the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Award.

March - Paul Surridge, creative director Cavalli, steps up

Via Instagram confirms Paul Surridge's position of creative director of Cavalli ignores the Italian fashion brand late. He would like to focus on 'other projects'.

Rumors about his dissatisfaction with Cavalli's policy are late he doesn't express himself, but he emphatically thanks Cavalli CEO Gian Giacomo Ferraris he calls a mentor.

Surridge succeeded Peter Dundas in 2017 as creative director of Cavalli. Dundas had left the company in 2016. Surridge studied at the renowned Central Saint Martins in London and then had various creative leadership positions at brands such as Acne Studios, Z Zegna, Jil Sander, Calvin Klein and Burberry.

April - Daniel Roseberry new creative director Schiaparelli

In April the American designer Daniel Roseberry is appointed as new creative director of the historic fashion house Schiaparelli. He replaces Bertrand Guyon, who leaves the fashion house after four years. Guyon closes joined Christian Dior's creative studio in July where he will from now on work with creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri.

Roseberry will be responsible for all collections, projects, etc. and the image of Schiaparelli. He is the third creative director in short time. In 2013, the luxury fashion house was relaunched with Marco Zanini at the creative rudder. A year later he was succeeded by Guyon.

The 33-year-old graduated from the fashion institute of technology in new york and worked at thom browne since his for last five years american brand he was responsible women men collections.

May - Maria Janssen new creative director Humanoid

Maria Janssen takes over the creative helm of the Dutch fashion brand from Sandra Harmsen. With her appointment Humanoid wants to focus on international growth. "There's an innovation coming, but it's not a Right turn," she told FashionUnited at the time.

Janssen was formerly trend director at Amazon Fashion, creative Director of WGSN and design director at Nike. She became personal presented as the successor of Harmsen, who together with Hans Boelens, have developed the brand founded in 1981. Harmsen remains creatively involved with the brand. as a consultant and ambassador. The creed of Humanoid, which once served as a collection of punks started in an anti-squat building, continues. "We have never sold clothes with Humanoid just like that, but products with a soul. And it will stay that way," Harmsen said in a press release.

The brand is sold at over 400 boutiques in more than 25 countries, but Humanoid wants to continue to grow internationally under creative leadership from Janssen. "We want to be an internationally recognizable brand," says Janssen. "We want to be relevant to a new generation. I don't want say "younger," because it's not an age, it's an attitude."

June/July - Felipe Oliveira Baptista replaces Humberto Leon and Carol Lim at Kenzo

Felipe Oliveira Baptista takes over from Humberto on 1 July Leon and Carol Lim at Kenzo's. Two weeks before that, the departure of Leon and Lim confirmed by parent company LVMH. The duo has the interest in their own brand, Opening Ceremony, bought back from Berkshire Partners and is committed to the growth of the company.

Baptista used to be creative director at Lacoste, but stepped after eight years in May 2018. He was succeeded this year by the first female designer of the brand, Louise Trotter.

In 2003 Baptista founded its own brand and won twice for it an ANDAM Prize, in 2003 and 2005. His conceptual and sensual designs combine aesthetics and functionality (according to LVMH, ed.). "Kenzo turns for contagious freedom and movement. All that M. Takada (the founder, ed.) did was imbued with joy, elegance and a youthful and A strong sense of humour," Baptista said in a press release at the time. "Kenzo's constant celebration of nature and cultural diversity is and will always be the basis of the brand. These two topics have never been have been as relevant as they are today and they will be helpful to the future of Kenzo."

September - Creative director and founder Demna Gvasalia leaves Vetements

Demna Gvasalia leaves Vetements, the brand he founded in 2014 together with Guram Gvasalia. The brand was founded as a design collective and quickly became a popular streetwear brand. Collaborations with major brands such as Levi's, Hanes and Manolo Blahnik followed.

Vetements was always about being a collective for creative people. We will continue to push the boundaries, while respecting the codes and values ​​of the brand, by supporting creativity and talent, ”Guram said in a statement at the time.

According to the statement, Demna wants to 'continue with other projects'. He is also creative director of Balenciaga. "I started Vetements because I had had enough of fashion and, contrary to expectations, changed fashion since Vetements appeared and it also opened the door for many others," he said in the statement.

Oktober - Emma Cook succeeds Niall Sloan at Escada

British designer Emma Cook is appointed global design director replacing Niall Sloan.

Cook graduated from Central Saint Martins in London and worked then for Martine Sitbon, Ruffo and Donna Karan. From 2000 to 2015 she has her own fashion brand, and in recent years she has worked as a consultant for Victoria Beckham, Ports 1961, Stella McCartney and Aries.

Cook is Escada's fourth design director in seven years. It Fashion brand was founded in 1978 by Wolfgang and Margeretha Ley.

October - Tod's appoints Walter Chiappioni as creative director

Tod's names the Italian Chiappioni as creative director of the women's and men's collections of the brand. The 41-year-old designer studied at the European Institute of Design and made his fashion debut in the late 1990s. He worked for Givenchy in Paris for some time and returned to Italy in 2007, where he worked for luxury brands such as Valentino, Gucci, Miu Miu and finally Bottega Veneta.

Before the appointment of Chiappioni, the ladies' collection of Tod's was left without a creative director since the departure of Alessandra Facchinetti in 2016. Her design team then took over from her. Andrea Incontri stepped down last summer after five years as the creative director of the men's collections.

October - Artistic Director Mark Howard Thomas leaves Helmut Lang

After just two years, Mark Howard Thomas has stepped down as the creative director of men's fashion at Helmut Lang. He announces his departure via Instagram. According to WWD, he would work for Lacoste as a men's fashion designer, but that has yet to be cofirmed. The British Louise Trotter has now become responsible for the women's collections at Lacoste.

At Helmut Lang, Thomas worked closely with Thomas Cawson, creative director of the fashion house's jeans division. In his time with Helmut Lang, Thomas worked on restoring the brand's heritage. Before that, the designer worked for Joseph in London and Givenchy in Paris, among others. His replacement has not yet been found.

December - Alessandro dell'Acqua leaves Rochas

Alessandro dell'Acqua says goodbye after six years at the creative helm of French fashion house Rochas. Dell'Acqua was responsible for the women's fashion of the brand and put the fashion house back on the map. His Last collection for Rochas will be presented in February.

Dell'Acqua founded his own women's brand in 1996, and two years later also followed a men's collection. In 2009 he started at cashmere specialist Malo. That same year he let it be known that his eponymous brand without his approval would be produced and he distanced himself from it. One year Later he launched his label No.21, with which he made his debut in Milan. Until 2013 he also designed for fashion brand Les Copains in Italy, but left the company to promote Marco Zanini as creative director of women's fashion at Rochas. His successor has not yet been announced.

This article was originally published on FashionUnited.NL, translated and edited by Kelly Press.

Photos: Bruno Sialelli/via Lanvin, Paul Andrew/via Salvatore Ferragamo, Paul Surridge/Cavalli via Catwalkpictures, Maria Janssen/Humanoid, Humberto Leon en Carol Lim/Kenzo Men's AW 2019 via Catwalkpictures, Demna Gvasalia/Dimitrios Kambouris / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP, Walter Chiappioni via Tod’s, Helmut Lang SS20 via Catwalkpictures.