French luxury house Hermès announced Tuesday that British designer Grace Wales Bonner, whose father is Jamaican, will take over its men’s prêt-à-porter collection, succeeding Véronique Nichanian, who led the line for nearly four decades.
Wales Bonner, in her mid-30s and a graduate of London’s Central Saint Martins, called the appointment “a dream” and said she was overjoyed to join “such a magical house.” Her first collection is scheduled to debut on the catwalk in January 2027.
Nichanian, 71, will present her final men’s collection for the 2026-2027 Autumn-Winter shows in Paris this coming January. Hermès confirmed her departure last Friday, marking the end of a remarkable 37-year tenure shaping the label’s menswear identity.
Wales Bonner’s appointment reflects a broader wave of creative change at major fashion houses, including Chanel, Dior, Balenciaga, Loewe, and Jean Paul Gaultier. Despite a challenging global luxury market, Hermès has continued to see strong growth, reporting a turnover of eight billion euros ($9.3 billion) in the first half of 2025, up more than seven percent.
Born in South London to a Jamaican father and English mother, Wales Bonner has won numerous awards for her innovative menswear that blends European tailoring with African and post-colonial influences. She previously earned recognition as Emerging Menswear Designer at the British Fashion Awards (2015), LVMH Young Designer Prize (2016), CFDA International Men’s Designer of the Year (2021), and was appointed MBE in 2022 for services to fashion.
Hermès artistic director Pierre-Alexis Dumas welcomed her appointment, noting that her “contemporary view of the world, of crafting and of culture, will continue to guide the men’s prêt-à-porter collection.”
Wales Bonner’s ascension marks a historic moment as she becomes the first woman of Black heritage to lead a major luxury house’s menswear line.
