admin Photo: David Sims/Courtesy of Chloé
On Monday, Chloé announced it has hired German designer Chemena Kamali — a two-time alumna of the house — as creative director.
Earlier this summer, Puck’s Line Sheet and Business of Fashion reported that the Richemont-owned brand hired Kamali, who was most recently the design director for Anthony Vaccarello’s Saint Laurent but has worked for Chloé twice (first under Phoebe Philo, when she was fresh out of Central Saint Martin’s Master of Arts in Fashion program, then again under Clare Waight Keller, as design director). She had reportedly been leading a design studio set up to help the transition following Gabriela Hearst’s departure.
“My heart has always been Chloé’s. It has been since I stepped through its doors more than 20 years ago,” Kamali said in a statement. “Returning feels natural and very personal. I am extremely honored to be taking on this role and to be building on the vision that Gaby Aghion and Karl Lagerfeld defined early in the Maison’s history. I hope to capture the emotional connection and spirit of Chloé for today. I am very grateful to Riccardo Bellini, Philippe Fortunato and Johann Rupert for this opportunity and their trust.”
Bellini, Chloé’s president and CEO, said of Kamali’s hiring: “Her extraordinary creative talent, extensive experience and unique connection with the brand’s legacy and values make her a natural choice for the Maison. Chemena’s vision, inspired by her love for the brand, will truly celebrate Chloé’s unique DNA. Chemena is both the Creative Director of Chloé and the embodiment of the Chloé spirit. I am excited to see her vision come to life.”
Her first collection for the house will be released in January, for Pre-Fall 2024. She’ll then make her runway debut during Paris Fashion Week in February, for Fall 2024.
Over the last decade, Chloé has had three different creative directors: Waight Keller (from 2011 to 2017), Natacha Ramsay-Levi (from 2017 to 2020) and Hearst. Back in February, WWD ran a profile of Hearst and Bellini in which the two shared that revenue had gone up 60% since she’d joined and discussed the work they’d done to shift towards a “purpose-driven” business model. (Chloé became B-Corp Certified under their leadership.)
Chloé has historically relied on accessories to boost its bottom line, but could it be making an even stronger ready-to-wear push with a new hire? Kamali is credited with helping Vaccarello shape his vision for Saint Laurent and position it for its recent success. With her deep understanding of Chloé’s DNA and its different eras, it’ll be interesting to see how she pushes the apparel to the next level.
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