A creative director is the leading creative mind of a fashion company and its brand. The responsibilities vary between each company, but they are usually tasked with designing clothes, shaping the brand’s aesthetic, bringing appeal to the clothing, and, most importantly, making a profit for the brand. It’s a very high role in the company, and usually only reputable individuals get these positions. 

It takes years for someone to develop their own standout designs that are recognizable throughout different collections. It’s even harder to have a stand-out design that includes the brand’s original ideas and the new creative director’s designs. 

The change of creative directors can reshape the whole identity behind a brand, and changing between them frequently can ruin the identity. In 2024, there were frequent changes in creative directors between big brands, making the future of fashion questionable. 

• Dries Van Noten 

Retires from Dries Van Noten on June 22.

After nearly a 40-year career, Dries Van Noten decided to step down from his label, retiring from fashion. Being one of my favorite designers, Dries took an unconventional approach to fashion at a time when it was bleak and minimalistic. He stayed authentic to himself by adding vibrant colors throughout his collections, keeping them throughout his whole career. Ending his last collection with a statement saying, “Now I want to shift my focus to all the things I never had the time for. I’m sad, but at the same time happy.” He named Julian Klausner, who has been working for the brand since 2018, the new creative director.

• Glenn Martens 

Left Y-Project on September 6 after 11 years at the brand. 

Glenn Martens is one of the most exciting and astounding designers right now. Being able to transform brand images, he took over Y/Project right before the death of the owner, Gilles Elalouf. The dark avant-garde minimalist brand was converted into a pioneer of streetwear with innovative and bright designs that rose past its competitors.

The brand was critically successful, putting on brilliant shows and receiving very positive reviews. Even with the good reception, it was not enough for Y/Project, which was struggling financially. There were lots of internal money issues, and these issues are speculated to be the reason for Martens’s departure. This has caused Y/Project to cancel their newest collection and struggle to be able to release seasonal shows. It was announced by Y/Project on January 9th, 2025, that after 14 years they were going to be closing their doors. In their farewell post, they thanked Glenn Martens and the late Gilles Elalouf. Martens is still very active in fashion, keeping his position as the creative director for Diesel, which he has been since 2020.

• Hedi Slimane 

Left Celine on October 2 after a seven-year run. 

Hedi Slimane is THE designer when it comes to slim silhouettes. Using clothes to accentuate the figure of the wearer, he has been making skinny cool. Slimane caused exceptional growth for Celine, building upon the strong foundation of the brand and implementing his signature style. He left Celine due to disagreements with the brand, reportedly requesting a “historically high salary and royalties on all manner of creative output.” 

Michael Rider is expected to take over Celine as creative director after Slimane’s exit, while Slimane moved over to the role of creative director for Tom Ford.

• Peter Do – SS23 

Left Helmut Lang on November 13 after less than 2 years at the brand 

The cult classic brand Helmut Lang is known for its simple yet detailed clothing with intricate designs, groundbreaking at the time. Sitting dormant for years, the brand only saw the spotlight a few times until Peter Do was announced as creative director.

Peter Do

The first collection that Peter Do released with Helmut Lang was in 2024 to mixed reviews. His designs strayed too far or too close to Lang’s original ideas, splitting the fashion community between love and hate. Do exited the brand after only 2 short years. No news has been released about Helmut Lang since, and without an established creative director, the future is uncertain. 

• John Galliano 

Left Maison Martin Margiela on December 10 after 10 years with the brand 

John Galliano is a talented yet very controversial figure in fashion, having had an incident in 2011 that led to his firing from Dior as their creative director. He joined Maison Margiela in 2014 producing some of their best collections in recent years. There were lots of rumors and speculations of his leaving before being announced. After his newest couture collection was near perfect, he announced his departure on social media with a heartfelt message acknowledging his past and thanking friends. There has been no new creative director announced for Margiela at this time. 

• Matthieu Blazy

Left Bottega Veneta on December 12 after 3 years 

Matthieu Blazy’s career started at the legendary Maison Martin Margiela, being thrown into one of the biggest, most important jobs in the company nearly straight out of college. Through his years there he built a very strong fan base, showing his talent and creativity, later moving to Bottega Veneta. At Bottega, Blazy thrived, creating new designs and ideas that transformed the brand’s identity. Things such as involving celebrities like A$AP Rocky and Jacob Elordi in campaigns changed views on the brand. His exit from Bottega was announced as his replacement, Louise Trotter, was announced to take over the brand. The day that Matthieu was announced to have left Bottega, he was announced as the creative director at Chanel opening an exciting new chapter for him. 

With the ever-changing landscape of fashion, it’s hard to predict what will happen next. The “musical chairs” of fashion have grown to be a part of the culture and longevity is very sparing these days. Who knows what the future will hold for fashion? Hopefully creative directors will start taking head and stay at brands for more than just a couple of years