The fashion landscape is no stranger to surprises. Every now and then, the scene is met with something new—from directional changes on the executive level, jaw-dropping collaboration announcements or the buzzy news of a fresh celebrity face set to represent one of the luxury maisons. With some of such news, the sartorial realm is bound to be roused, as conversation is steered towards what the change might mean for the rest of the designer world. Up top, a change in creative directorship is inevitably the most palpable—where house codes and signature silhouettes might discover reinterpretation in the hands of a new captain. The most recent of the lot? Peter Do taking the helm at Helmut Lang and Sabato De Sarno’s appointment at Gucci, both of whom showed their debut collections during last year’s spring/summer 2024 season.
In other cases, the fashion-forward will find themselves stirred by happenings closer to the ground—in terms of what they can admire, collect and own in their very own wardrobes. This might include the most covetable of collaborations—each one drawing in their own enthusiasts from various corners of culture. 2023 saw a multitude of celebrity-led collabs such as Dua Lipa x Versace for the La Vacanza collection, and the Skims x Swarovski joint move, where Kim Kardashian demonstrated her fashion prowess.
Amidst the buzz of affairs as of late, it’s inevitable that you might have missed out on some significant drops and announcements over the past few weeks. Not to fret however, for with Vogue Singapore’s roundup, you can consider yourself all caught up. Sudden designer departures have made the headlines this past two weeks, starting with Walter Chiapponi’s exit from Blumarine after just one season. Following after, Dries Van Noten confirmed he would be stepping down from his eponymous label and that the men’s spring/summer 2025 show in June would be his last. Then, just yesterday, news broke of Pierpaolo Piccoli exiting the house of Valentino, since his appointment as creative director since 2016.
Destination runway shows are also par for the course this summer, and Dior has named its choice of locale: Scotland. Meanwhile, Loewe has been having an exciting week; amid a celebrity ambassador appointment and the opening of the house’s very first exhibition in Shanghai.
Catch up on all the fashion news to know, below.
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Pierpaolo Piccioli and Valentino part ways
In what seems to be a series of shocking fashion departures, news broke just yesterday of Pierpaolo Piccioli’s exit from Valentino. After 25 years of being at the house, the creative director known for reinventing the wheel of the maison, wrote a moving statement alongside the announcement: “Not all stories have a beginning or an end, some live a kind of eternal present that shines so bright that it won’t produce any shadows. I’ve been in this company for 25 years, and for 25 years I’ve existed and I’ve lived with the people who have woven the weaves of this beautiful story that is mine and ours.” Chairman of Valentino Rachid Mohamed Rachid also wrote: “We extend our deepest gratitude to Pierpaolo for writing an important chapter in the history of the Maison Valentino. His contribution over the past 25 years will leave an indelible mark.” A successor has yet to be named.
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Loewe opens its 'Crafted World' exhibition in Shanghai
Loewe has officially opened its first-ever exhibition to the public. Titled ‘Crafted World’, the retrospective is held at the Shanghai Exhibition Centre. Set to offer an experiential journey of the Spanish house’s storied history with art, material and craft, the exhibition is described by creative director Jonathan Anderson as “a homage to all the craftspeople around the world that have dedicated their lives to the handmade’’. Notably imbued with the maison’s idiosyncratic sense of fun, ‘Crafted World’ will have a thematic narrative to each section—from an exposition of its roots as a leather-making collective through first-edition pieces of iconic bags such as the Amazona, Flamenco and Puzzle, to a recollection of Anderson’s avant-garde approach through 69 curated runway looks. There would also be joyful odes to the house’s most memorable collaborations such as a two-metre tall recreation of the Howl’s Moving Castle bag and an entire Studio Ghibli dreamworld. The ‘Crafted World’ exhibition will be running from 22 March to 5 May before travelling the world.
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Dries Van Noten announces his impending departure
In 1986, Dries Van Noten established his namesake brand. Earlier this week, the Belgian fashion designer officially announced his impending departure 38 years later—with his men’s spring/summer 2025 show in June in Paris. Known for his maximalist, off-kilter design hand with a penchant for the avant-garde, Van Noten announced his decision to leave was not without a bittersweet turn: “Now, I want to shift my focus to all the things I never had the time for. I’m sad, but at the same time happy, to let you know that I will step down at the end of June. I have been preparing for this moment for a while, and I feel it’s time to leave room for a new generation of talents to bring their vision to the brand,”. Whilst no successor has been announced just yet, the women’s spring/summer 2025 collection will be designed by his design team in Antwerp.
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Jean Paul Gaultier taps Courrèges’s Nicolas Di Felice as its guest designer
And just like that, Jean Paul Gaultier has named the next guest designer for his couture house, following a successful run of famous names to have done so, such as Simone Rocha, Julien Dossena, Olivier Rousteing, Haider Ackermann, Glenn Martens and Chitose Abe. Next on an ever-growing list of designers to gain access to the maison’s archives? Courrèges’s creative director Nicolas Di Felice, who will show the collection at Paris Couture Week in June.
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Walter Chiapponi exits Blumarine after one season
After just one season at its helm, Walter Chiapponi will be leaving his position as creative director at Blumarine. Chiapponi, who was previously helming the design direction at Tod’s, was appointed in October 2023—and showed his vision for fall/winter 2024 at Milan Fashion Week earlier this year. In a statement regarding his exit, he expresses his gratitude: “My thanks for this experience go first and foremost to Marco Marchi who made it possible, but also to all those without whom I wouldn’t have been able to express myself as I did. I am especially referring to people I have loved who are no longer with us, but who continue to instil strong emotions in me, to inspire my feelings and my journey. I now want to concentrate on new initiatives and projects with a social and humanitarian scope before returning at a later date, at the right time, to the catwalk.”
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Dior to show its cruise 2025 collection in Scotland
For its cruise 2025 show, Dior is transporting us all to the luscious lands of Scotland. Or more specifically, the beautiful gardens of Drummond Castle, which is considered to be a historic piece of architecture on its own. Often described as a mediaeval mosaic, the poetic locale will serve as the backdrop for Maria Grazia Chiuri’s romantic designs that will supposedly pay homage to the house’s past—such as its very first collection in 1947. The cruise collection will be revealed on 3 June.
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Baifern is Loewe's newest global ambassador
Thai actress Baifern has been named as Loewe’s latest ambassador. Well-known for her role as Nam in 2010’s sleeper hit Crazy Little Thing Called Love, she is also currently starring in Beauty Newbie, a remake of the popular South Korea webtoon-based drama My ID is Gangnam Beauty. Her appointment comes after multiple appearances at the house’s fashion shows in the past year—and she was also last spotted at the launch event of the house’s first-ever exhibition in Shanghai. On her appointment, she expresses her excitement: “I am thrilled to join Loewe, my favourite brand. I have been a huge admirer of Loewe, not just for the designs, but also for the brand’s ethos and distinctive mode of communication. I deeply respect Jonathan Anderson’s dedication to craftsmanship, and I really appreciate the opportunity to embark on this journey together with Loewe.”
