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Hermès has officially named Grace Wales Bonner as the new creative director of its menswear division, marking a historic moment for both the house and one of Britain’s most critically acclaimed designers. The appointment signals not only a generational shift within the French luxury institution but also a renewed commitment to intellectual craftsmanship and cross-cultural sensitivity—values deeply embedded in Wales Bonner’s creative philosophy.
Since founding her eponymous label in 2014, Wales Bonner has built an identity rooted in heritage, spirituality, and storytelling, blending the precision of European tailoring with the emotional depth of Afro-Atlantic culture. Her approach transcends clothing; it operates like a form of cultural archaeology, where fabric, history, and identity meet. At Hermès, she steps into a lineage of quiet mastery, bringing with her a more poetic and pluralistic vision of luxury.
For Wales Bonner, this appointment also represents a long-held aspiration. In an early conversation with Hans Ulrich Obrist for System Magazine, she once imagined working “with a house like Hermès or a Savile Row atelier,” seeing such environments as the ideal space for her dedication to craftsmanship and ritual. A decade later, that dream materializes—one that merges her contemplative artistry with Hermès’ century-old commitment to excellence.
The timing feels apt. As global fashion contends with the call for authenticity, diversity, and emotional resonance, Hermès’ decision places a designer known for her sensitivity and substance at the forefront of its evolution. With Wales Bonner guiding its menswear, the brand is poised to enter a new phase—one where elegance and intellect, tradition and transformation, coexist in perfect equilibrium.
Ph. Malick Bodian