Christophe Lemaire, the man behind the commercial resurgence of Lacoste, is headed to Hermes. It was announced today that Lemarie will be replacing Jean-Paul Gaultier, who has been at Hermes for seven years and is reportedly leaving to focus on his namesake lines. Gaultier will stay on at Hermes until the Spring 2011 runway show in Paris this October, and Hermes will continue to own a 45% stake in Gaultier’s fashion house.
French fashion designer Jean-Paul Gaultier will step down as the artistic director of Hermes International SCA’s women’s ready-to-wear unit after seven years in the role. The 58-year-old French couturier, best known for designing the cone bra worn by singer Madonna on her 1990 Blond Ambition tour, will be replaced by Christophe Lemaire, Hermes said today in a statement. The spring-summer 2011 collection to be presented in October will be the last one created by Gaultier for Hermes. Gaultier’s exit marks the end of a formal arrangement that began when Jean-Louis Dumas, former president and chief executive officer of Hermes, signed the designer up to bring new blood to the maker of luxury handbags and silk ties. Dumas died this month at the age of 72. “Hermes is deeply grateful to Jean-Paul Gaultier for his outstanding creative contribution,” the Paris-based company said in the statement. – from Bloomberg