Demna appointed creative director of Gucci, leaving Balenciaga

Demna, the Georgian-born designer who revolutionized Balenciaga with streetwear-infused luxury, has been named the new creative director of Gucci, effective July 2025. The announcement by Kering, which owns both Gucci and Balenciaga, reshuffles the fashion landscape. Demna, born in 1981 in Sukhumi, Georgia, studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp, winning the ITS Collection of the Year in 2004 and graduating in 2006. He launched VETEMENTS in 2014 and became Balenciaga's creative director in October 2015. Gucci CEO Stefano Cantino praised Demna's 'courageous and unparalleled' vision, while Kering's Francesca Bellettini highlighted his influence on contemporary culture. Demna succeeds Sabato De Sarno, who left Gucci in February 2025 after a brief tenure.