French luxury label Jean-Paul Gaultier has called on Courrèges creative director Nicoles Di Felice to stitch its next collection as a guest designer. The 40-year-old Belgian designer who has been sitting at the helm of Courrèges since his appointment in September 2020, will be taking over the reins of the iconic Parisian House to infuse it with his own vision and respective aesthetic.
Largely credited for Courrèges’ renaissance, Di Felice will be following in the footsteps of several other designers who have temporarily lent their creative prowess to the renowned fashion house. This includes Rabanne’s Julien Dossena, Balmain’s Olivier Rousteing, Y/Project’s Glenn Martens, and Sacai’s Chitose Abe, amongst others.
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“I find Nicolas to be bold and creative from the beginning of his career,” Gaultier told WWD. “Choosing him aligns perfectly with the idea of seeing what a designer can bring to my style.”
Di Felice, speaking to the American publication in turn, expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to collaborate with such a legendary atelier of haute couture. “I am grateful to get the chance to work with this legendary couture atelier and I cannot wait to dig into the archives,” he said.
“Even if I work on some more exceptional pieces for my own show, I mostly try to focus on a certain practicality and wearability at Courrèges, so it’s quite exciting for me to let that go for a bit,” he added.
Expected to present his first collection in his new role during Fall 2024 Paris Couture Week— which will take place from June 24 to 27— anticipation mounts as the fashion world eagerly awaits Di Felice’s debut on the haute couture stage, expecting to witness his savoir-faire elsewhere than Courrèges for the first time in four years.
