Pieter Mulier, in Paris, in 2023. ANTHONY SEKLAOUI FOR LE MONDE
There has been a new twist in the Versace saga: On Thursday, February 5, just six days after announcing he was leaving Alaïa, Pieter Mulier was appointed creative director of the brand, a decision that will take effect on July 1. He replaces Dario Vitale, who held the position for only nine months.
Mulier, born in Ostend, Belgium, in 1976, is among the most sought-after designers of the moment. Trained as an architect, he developed a passion for fashion and honed his skills working with Raf Simons, now co-artistic director of Prada, which owns Versace. Mulier assisted Simons at his own label and at Jil Sander, following him to Dior and later Calvin Klein. After that last experience in New York, the Belgian designer stepped back from the fashion industry.
"Every time, I learned a tremendous amount. But after Calvin, I didn't want to work in fashion anymore. As soon as a brand grows significantly, there's a price to pay: the machine spirals out of control, we produce too much, we try to appeal to everyone, you end up making puffer jackets for China, sneakers for Korea, and everyone has an opinion on what you do. Can you still call that luxury?" he told Le Monde in July 2023.
