Why is 2025 being defined as the new era of global luxury fashion houses?

The premise is that 2025 saw a revolutionary new era of fashion with multiple high-profile creative director appointments at major houses. And this move was particularly a highlight during the recent Milan Fashion Week. The world of fashion witnessed a significant change amongst the revolving creative directors across the luxury fashion landscape this year, with several major shifts announced and new collections debuting.

2025 Milan Fashion Week showcased a pivotal moment, with the debuts of multiple new creative leaders, signalling a distinct shift for several houses, all setting the stage for what is indeed being widely discussed as a revamped and revolutionary phase in luxury fashion.

Gucci appointed Demna (formerly Demna Gvasalia), replacing Sabato De Sarno as artistic director in March 2025, leaving Balenciaga. This was one of the biggest moves, signifying a dramatic shift in direction for Kering's star brand. Donatella Versace brought in Dario Vitale as chief creative officer in March 2025. Vitale joined from Miu Miu, where he was a key figure.

Appointed in December 2024 (effective early 2025), Louise Trotter now heads Bottega Veneta with her highly anticipated debut collection presented during Milan Fashion Week. She brought her signature focus on craftsmanship and real-life elegance. Simone Bellotti, an Italian designer, has a background at Bally and will be steering Jil Sander's minimalist aesthetic.

Haider Ackermann, known for his masterful draping and refined aesthetic, was spoken for Tom Ford and debuted his collection for the house in Milan in 2025, following the departure of Pete Hawkings after a brief tenure. Lorenzo Serafini, who was already the creative director for the sister-line Philosophy by Lorenzo Serafini, took the reins of the main Alberta Ferretti brand, debuting his fusion collection during Milan Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2025.

The movement of established, high-profile talent like Demna between major competing groups (Kering and Capri Holdings, respectively) highlights the intense pressure on luxury conglomerates to find designers who can generate both critical acclaim and explosive sales growth in a challenging economic climate.

Their appointments suggest a focus on refining house codes and emphasising quality over pure shock value, contrasting with the more headline-grabbing changes.

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