Looks like fashion’s dizzying game of creative director musical chairs isn’t slowing down in 2026.On Friday, Alaïa announced that Creative Director Pieter Mulier will step down from his role. He will conclude his tenure after presenting the brand’s Fall 2026 collection during Paris Fashion Week in March. The in-house design team will take over the creative reins until a successor is named. “We sincerely thank Pieter for his vision and commitment, writing an important chapter in the ongoing evolution of the Maison,” Myriam Serrano, chief executive officer of Alaïa, said in a statement. “Over the past five years, Pieter and the exceptional team he led have shaped Alaïa’s creative renewal, honoring its heritage and strengthening the Maison’s relevance, confidence and global recognition.”The French brand appointed Mulier in 2021, three years after the founder Azzedine Alaïa died. The Belgian designer built on Alaïa’s legacy of sculptural, feminine silhouettes, adding a modernist edge. Prior to joining Alaïa, Mulier notably served as Raf Simons’ right-hand man, first at his eponymous menswear brand, and later following him to Jil Sander, Christian Dior and Calvin Klein.Mulier has not announced his next steps, but it’s widely speculated that he’s heading to Versace (which recently saw its creative director Dario Vitale exit after one season).”Alaïa is a Maison guided by timelessness, independence, and exceptional craftsmanship,” Philippe Fortunato, chief executive officer of Fashion & Accessories Maisons at Richemont, said in a statement. “This next chapter will be guided by those values and by the strength of the collective talent that defines Alaïa.”Mulier now joins the list of unemployed high-profile designers (Olivier Rousteing, John Galliano, Hedi Slimane, Sabato De Sarno, Casey Cadwallader, Luke and Lucie Meier and Riccardo Tisci, to name a handful) whose next move remains unknown. Do you have an emerging brand you want to share with Fashionista readers? Jumpstart your business with our affordable digital offerings.
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