G-Star Raw taps Aitor Throup as Executive Creative Director

London - Change is afoot again at G-Star Raw, as the denim brand has taken on Aitor Throup as its Executive Creative Director, a newly created role, for its women's and men's main collections, as well as its Raw Research menswear line.

This is not the first time that the London-based designer and the denim brand have worked together, as the appointment comes three years after G-Star first hired Throup as a creative consultant. The 36 year old designer has worked on numerous projects and initiatives for the denim company and launched his first full collection for G-Star Raw this June during Paris men’s fashion week under the Raw Research, a line developed in the company’s innovation lab in Amsterdam.

G-Star Raw names London Fashion Week designer Aitor Throup as its first Executive Creative Director

In his new role, which is set to start November 1, Throup will be reporting directly to the founder and CEO of G-Star, Jos Van Tilburg and working out of the company's head office in Amsterdam. However, the London-fashion week designer will continue to work on developing his own collection “New object Research” through his multidisciplinary work studio “A.T Studio” located in London. His next collection for G-Star Raw will be shown next January, during Paris men’s fashion week.

Throup’s ongoing relationship and new role within the denim brand is described as a logical step, as both the design ethos behind Throup’s work and G-Star Raw are founded on innovation and driven by 3D construction. “It was this shared philosophy that initially drew me to the brand,” says Throup. "When I first met with G-Star, I was struck by the product-focused DNA and conceptual approach to design."

The newly created role also sees Throup take over the tasks and responsibilities of Pierre Morisset, a denim legend in his own right who has been working with the brand for 27 years. The designer will remain on board with the team and continue to collaborate with G-Star, but is set to shift to a mentorship role within the design department. Throup sees his new role as part of a natural growth of his involvement with the company, rather than taking over the creative lead from Morisset.

"It’s more like an evolution of my involvement with them," said Throup to WWD. "There’s so many amazing people involved in so many incredible teams, all involved in creating this one thing. I guess I do feel a sense of responsibility, and I’m incredibly happy to have this opportunity. For me the most exciting thing is that there’s never been this role at the company, so there’s a lot of incredible people doing incredible things in each department, but to have the opportunity to help align all of those and bring a sort of perspective, to help all of them be as strong as possible by having the same variation, it’s very exciting."

Over the past year, Throup has been busy leading a select team within G-Star Raw which has developed the capsule collection Raw Research, as well developing the 5620 Motion jeans, the newest addition to G-Star Raw's 3D denim range and creating the concept of the brand's for its London flagship store ‘What is Raw?’. The London Fashion Week designer was quick to implement his own approach to design and product development within his team at G-Star Raw to ensure everyone is on the same page and shares "ownership of the product", an idea he firmly stands behind.

"It has worked incredibly well, to the point that every single person involved feels equally responsible for the product once it arrives from wherever it’s been actually manufactured," he adds. "And that cross-departmental integration is something that I’m already looking into extending for my other brand.” Throup appointment at G-Star Raw comes not long after the denim brand announced artist and philanthropist Pharrell Williams has become a co-owner of the company.

Photos: Courtesy of G-Star Raw