After nearly four decades at the helm of the Hermès Men’s Universe, Véronique Nichanian is preparing to take her final bow. The house confirmed last Friday that Nichanian will present her last collection for during the forthcoming mens fashion week in January of next year, marking the end of an era that quietly—and profoundly—reshaped the modern man’s wardrobe.
Since joining the maison in 1988, at the invitation of the late Jean-Louis Dumas, Nichanian has been the steady pulse behind the Hermès’ mens vision for luxury. Her language was never about flash, but rather finesse. She mastered the delicate tension between rigour and ease, between craft and curiosity, between the classic and the quietly subversive. Under her eye, the Hermès man didn’t just dress well, but also moved well with every cut, every knit, and leather accent designed to feel as effortless as it was luxurious.
In her statement, Nichanian reflected on her tenure with the kind of grace and understatement that defined her collections:
“Working for Hermès since 1988 has been an immense pleasure… My wish has always been to create clothes of today for the long term. To me, there is not an Hermès man; there are Hermès men.”
It’s a fitting philosophy for a designer who never imposed identity, but revealed it—through texture, gesture, and the subtle poetry of materials. Her legacy will be a silhouette that feels both timeless and entirely human: quiet confidence rendered in silk, cashmere, and calfskin.
But as one chapter closes, another begins and today Hermès announced English fashion designer Grace Wales Bonner will step into the role of Creative Director for Men’s Ready-to-Wear, presenting her first collection in January 2027. As the first black women to ever hold this prestigious position, it’s a seismic appointment, one that feels both daring and deeply aligned as she steps into this coveted position.
Since founding her namesake label a decade ago, Wales Bonner has carved out a singular space in fashion, blending the codes of European tailoring with diasporic narratives and a spiritual sense of transcendent style. Her work has consistently explored the intersections of craft and culture, winning her international acclaim and awards from the CFDA and the British Fashion Awards alike.
Pierre-Alexis Dumas, Hermès’ General Artistic Director, called her “a confident look on the now,” in the press release, and it’s hard to imagine a more fitting description. Her sensibility is rooted in research, rhythm, and reverence for history, which feels like a natural evolution for Hermès, a house where technique and storytelling have always been deeply intertwined.
In her own words, Wales Bonner stated in the press release:
“I am deeply honoured to be entrusted with the role of Creative Director of Hermès Men’s Ready-to-Wear. It is a dream realised to embark on this new chapter, following in a lineage of inspired craftspeople and designers. I wish to express my gratitude to Pierre-Alexis Dumas and Axel Dumas for the opportunity to bring my vision to this magical house.”
– Grace Wales Bonner
It’s a poetic handover from Nichanian’s understated masculinity to Grace Wales Bonner’s soulful modernism; one designer closing the book on quiet refinement and the other opening a new one on cultural resonance.
January 2026 will mark the end of an era and January 2027, the beginning of new one.