Hermès International has named British designer Grace Wales Bonner as the new creative director for menswear at the French fashion house.
The appointment signifies that she, a 35-year-old from London, has become only the second Black woman ever to lead a design division at a prominent European luxury fashion company. Rihanna was the first when she partnered with conglomerate LVMH in 2019 to launch her own brand, Fenty. This partnership made her the first Black woman to lead a fashion house under the company’s umbrella.
In a statement, Wales Bonner expressed that she felt “deeply [honored] to be entrusted with the role.”
She is taking over from Véronique Nichanian, who has served as the artistic director of the menswear division for 37 years. Nichanian’s last collection for the brand will be presented in Paris this January, while Wales Bonner’s inaugural collection is set to debut in 2027.
In her statement, she expressed, “It is a dream [realized] to embark on this new chapter, following in a lineage of inspired craftspeople and designers.”
She also expressed gratitude to the company’s leadership “for the opportunity to bring my vision to this magical house”.
Reporting the news on Tuesday, Vogue noted that while many in the industry expected Hermès to promote someone from within, the brand chose to hire a well-known talent instead. Wales Bonner brings a fresh perspective to the iconic label, which is celebrated for its exceptional craftsmanship and timeless elegance.
“I am really pleased to welcome Grace to the Hermès artistic director family. Her take on contemporary fashion, craft and culture will contribute to shaping Hermès men’s style, melding the house’s heritage with a confident look on the now. Grace’s appetite and curiosity for artistic practice strongly resonate with Hermès’s creative mindset and approach. We are at the start of an enriching mutual dialogue,” Pierre-Alexis Dumas, general artistic director of Hermès, said in a statement.
Wales Bonner, who was born in London to an English mother and a Jamaican father, started her own critically acclaimed menswear namesake label in 2014 (it beautifully mixes sportswear and impeccable tailoring that explores a broad range of references linked to post-colonial narratives and the history of Black culture) shortly after graduating from Central Saint Martins College of Art in London. She introduced womenswear in 2018.
She has received numerous accolades, such as being named the emerging menswear designer at the British Fashion Awards in 2015, winning the LVMH Young Designer Prize in 2016 and being honored as the CFDA International Men’s Designer of the Year in 2021. She has also curated an exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York called, “Spirit Movers” where she celebrated the intricate roots of the African diaspora and hosted musical performances at London’s Serpentine Galleries. She has maintained a long-term partnership with Adidas and was awarded a Member of the Order of the British Empire (a prestigious honor given to individuals for outstanding contributions to the arts, sciences, public service or charity) in 2022 for her contributions to the fashion industry.
This year, as well, has been quite eventful for her. She made her return to the Paris fashion calendar in June 2025 following her standout appearance at the 2025 Met Gala. Her luxurious velvet suit, adorned with cowrie shells that were historically used as currency in West Africa, was featured in the exhibit. Additionally, she styled co-chair Lewis Hamilton, as well as FKA Twigs, Omar Apollo, Jeff Goldblum and others. Still, her historic selection as a Black woman to helm a luxury fashion brand is one of those groundbreaking moments that truly makes you pause and reflect.
It isn’t just a beautiful moment; it’s packed with consequence and a reminder of how far Black women have come and how far they still have to go.
It’s also about representation, breaking barriers and the shifting tides of an industry that has often been sharply exclusive. It’s difficult not to feel the weight of this achievement, not only for her, but for countless others who have fought to be acknowledged and valued in spaces where they’ve long been sidelined.
The fashion industry loves to flaunt diversity on the runway and in advertisements, but when it comes to the boardrooms where major decisions are made, that inclusivity often falls flat. The hiring of Wales Bonner, a Black woman and a strong female leader, is a small yet significant step toward addressing the glaring underrepresentation of women in creative director roles across the global luxury sector. It’s a reminder that while spaces like the catwalk may be more colorful than ever, the real change needs to start at the top, where various voices can rightly shape the industry’s future and truly reflect the world we live in.
Wales Bonner’s appointment is a moment of celebration and this transition marks a pivotal moment for Hermès. But above all, it serves as a call to action, signaling a broader shift towards greater inclusivity and Black leadership, not only within the fashion industry but in society as a whole.
Her presence not only reflects the beauty of diversity; it inspires countless women to continue to chase their dreams with confidence, calling up to them that they belong in every space.
