South African Designer Drew Henry Appointed Artistic Director at Courrèges Fashion House

South African fashion designer Drew Henry has been appointed as the new artistic director of the French fashion house Courrèges. The announcement was made on Monday, March 30, by the brand, which is controlled by Artémis, the holding company of the Pinault family. Henry, 38, will present his debut collection during Paris Fashion Week in September. This appointment follows the departure of Belgian designer Nicolas Di Felice, who left his role as artistic director after five years, during which he revitalized the iconic 1970s brand. Henry, originally from Mpumalanga province in South Africa, began his training at LISOF in Johannesburg before studying at Central Saint Martins in London, where he earned a master's degree in fashion in 2014 under Louise Wilson. His career includes working at Celine alongside Phoebe Philo, serving as design director for ready-to-wear at JW Anderson, and joining Burberry in 2023 as senior design director under Daniel Lee. Henry also collaborated with Phoebe Philo on the launch of her eponymous brand in 2020. In a statement, François-Henri Pinault, president of Artémis, praised Henry's talent and creative vision, noting his understanding of contemporary fashion as an asset for Courrèges's next development phase. Henry expressed his commitment to designing modern, functional, and straightforward pieces, aiming to honor the legacy of founder André Courrèges while imprinting his own creative approach. Courrèges was founded in 1961 by André Courrèges and his wife Jacqueline, known as Coqueline. André Courrèges, an engineer turned unconventional stylist who passed away in January 2016, symbolized the fashion revolution of the 1960s, popularizing the miniskirt and a futuristic Space Age style characterized by vinyl and his signature color, white.