After 37 years at Hermès, Véronique Nichanian’s departure marks the end of one of the longest-running creative tenures in contemporary luxury fashion. The French fashion house announced in October 2025 that its artistic director of menswear would present her final collection in January 2026, bringing to a close an era defined by understated design, fine materials, and wearable luxury.
Hermès confirmed Nichanian’s departure in an official announcement dated 17 October 2025. She led the house’s menswear collections since 1988, after then-chairman Jean-Louis Dumas invited her. Her final runway show took place on 24 January 2026 during Paris Men’s Fashion Week.
A 37-Year Career at Hermès
Before joining Hermès, Nichanian worked at French fashion house Cerruti, where she developed her understanding of menswear and luxury materials. At Hermès, she built a wardrobe around craftsmanship, functionality and discreet elegance rather than seasonal spectacle.
Her approach remained consistent throughout her tenure. Rather than relying heavily on visible logos or dramatic silhouette changes, she focused on fabric, colour, construction, and how clothes worked in everyday life. In its announcement, Hermès credited her with shaping the identity of its men’s universe through her attention to materials, technical innovation and the relationship between heritage and contemporary design.
In an October 2025 interview published by Vogue Business, Nichanian explained that she still loved her work but wanted to devote more time to other things. She had been discussing the decision with the Dumas family for a year or two before choosing the moment to step down.
Her departure was therefore a planned transition rather than a sudden change in creative direction.
A Final Collection Without Nostalgia
Nichanian presented her final Hermès menswear collection on 24 January 2026 at the Palais Brongniart in Paris. The Fall/Winter 2026 collection stayed close to the design principles that had defined her work, with leather, silk, refined tailoring and functional details taking centre stage.
According to The Associated Press’s report on her final show, the collection included silk turtlenecks, leather trousers and elegant overcoats in a restrained palette. It also revisited selected pieces from the house’s archives, reflecting the longevity of garments designed to remain relevant beyond a single season.
The presentation ended with a standing ovation as Nichanian took her final bow. The moment marked the conclusion of a 37-year period during which she helped establish a recognisable approach to Hermès menswear, one built on material quality and restraint rather than constant reinvention.
Grace Wales Bonner to Lead the Next Chapter
Hermès moved quickly to announce its next creative direction. On 21 October 2025, the house appointed British designer Grace Wales Bonner as the new creative director of menswear. Vogueher appointment reported by Vogue, with her first collection for the house scheduled for January 2027.
Wales Bonner founded her eponymous label in 2014 and has become known for combining tailoring with research into Black cultural history, music and identity. Her appointment brings a new perspective to a department that had remained under Nichanian’s direction for nearly four decades.
The transition is significant not simply because a long-serving designer is leaving, but because Hermès must introduce a new creative voice while maintaining the consistency and craftsmanship associated with its menswear business.
The End of an Era, Without an Abrupt Break
Nichanian’s departure comes amid a broader period of creative leadership changes across luxury fashion. However, her tenure stands apart for its length and continuity. While many major houses have changed creative directors several times over the past decade, she spent 37 years shaping the same menswear department.
Her legacy lies in the consistency of her work: clothing designed around how people dress, move and live, with craftsmanship taking priority over short-lived trends. The transition to Wales Bonner gives Hermès an opportunity to evolve its menswear offering while building on the foundations established under Nichanian.
For the industry, her exit reminds us how rare long-term creative leadership has become in luxury fashion. Her final collection closed a significant chapter at Hermès, while the arrival of Wales Bonner signals the beginning of another.
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