Demna Is Leaving Balenciaga For Gucci

Just when we thought we could kick up our feet and get back to regularly scheduled programming post-Fashion Month, the industry has other ideas for us. There have been rumors surrounding the future of Gucci well before the last creative director left. The wait is over for the news: Demna will be the next creative director, starting in early July 2025.

Demna is currently at Balenciaga, where he’s turned the staid couture brand into a hyper-futuristic testing ground for oddball style. Since his first-ever show, he’s changed the face of modern fashion with his uncanny ability to predict the future and sense where we’re headed long before we get there. He’ll show his last Balenciaga Couture collection during Couture Week in July, then head over to Milan where Gucci is based to get to work on reinterpreting the brand’s legendary past. (Maybe the Balenciaga x Gucci “Hack” Fall 2021 collection is a hint?)

The brand shared a selfie of Demna, alongside glowing quotes from top execs at Kering, the conglomerate that owns Gucci, Balenciaga, Saint Laurent, and Bottega Veneta, among other brands. Demna is clearly the crown jewel of the group, and is coming into Gucci after a rough period following the departure of the much-beloved Alessandro Michele, who is now at Valentino. On this new chapter in his career, Demna said via press release: “I am truly excited to join the Gucci family. It is an honor to contribute to a house that I deeply respect and have long admired. I look forward to writing together with Stefano and the whole team a new chapter of Gucci’s amazing history.”

This announcement is the latest in a long, long string of creative switch-ups at brands. During the Fall/Winter 2025 runways, there were at least five debuts of new designers at fashion houses, and just this morning, Donatella Versace announced she’s stepping away from her role at Versace to let Dario Vitale be Chief Creative Officer. A few more of note: Glenn Martens is joining Maison Margiela, Simone Bellotti is now at Jil Sander, and of course, Matthieu Blazy will lead Chanel into its next chapter. Now, that leaves the houses of Balenciaga and Bally with open seats. We know it won’t be long until the next domino falls and another exciting new chapter is ushered in.