Chloé names Chemena Kamali as the French house’s latest creative director

Germany-born designer and Central Saint Martins graduate Chemena Kamali has been announced as Chloé’s latest creative director, replacing Gabriela Hearst who showed her final collection for the French house as part of Paris Fashion Week S/S 2024 this past September. 

Kamali, who was most recently design director under Anthony Vaccarello at Saint Laurent, began her career at Chloé, working with former creative director Phoebe Philo. She would later rejoin the house as design director to Clare Waight Keller in 2013, leaving for Saint Laurent in 2016. 

‘My heart has always been Chloé’s,’ said Kamali in a statement this morning. ‘It has been since I stepped through its doors more than 20 years ago. Returning feels natural and very personal. I am extremely honoured 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.’

The appointment marks the latest in a slew of recent creative director appointments that have eschewed well-known industry names for relatively unknown, but highly experienced, fashion insiders. These have included Sabato De Sarno at Gucci, who previously directed men’s and women’s collections at Valentino, and Seán McGirr at Alexander McQueen, who was head of men’s collections at JW Anderson. 

Kamali’s appointment also comes in the wake of online criticism about the lack of women creative directors at major houses; at Chloé, she follows a string of other women designers who have taken the role, including Hearst, Philo, Waight Keller, Hannah MacGibbon and Natacha Ramsay-Levi. Chloé was founded by Egypt-born Gaby Aghion in 1952, who rejected the strict silhouettes of the time for a free-flowing, feminine silhouette and bohemian sensibility that continues to define the house today. 

‘I am proud to welcome Chemena Kamali to Chloé. Her extraordinary creative talent, extensive experience and unique connection with the brand’s legacy and values make her a natural choice for the maison,’ says Riccardo Bellini, president and CEO of Chloé. ’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.’

‘Chloé is an important and much-loved part of Richemont,’ adds Philippe Fortunato, CEO of the fashion and accessories division at Richemont, a luxury goods conglomerate that owns the house. ‘Chemena Kamali’s return is an exciting new chapter for the Maison given her passion for the brand’s heritage and her strong connection to Chloé.’

chloe.com