Yvan Mispelaere

Mispelaere grew up in the Normandy where he spent his childhood making dresses for his sister's Barbie dolls.

After his studies, Mispelaere has spent a number of years with various French and Italian couturiers and fashion designers.

In 1989, he started training with Claude Montana who was head of Haute Couture at the House of Lanvin at the time. After spending five years as Montana's assistant, Yvan Mispelaere goes to Rome to work for Italian 'la dolce vita' couturier Valentino in 1994. Valentino is also a correspondent member of the French Haute Couture chamber. After enjoying Valentino's glamour and style for 4 years, Mispelaere is wooed away by Prada to Milan in 1998. He made the Milanese label more femine and luxurious.

After 6 years of travel Mispelaere returns to Paris at a time where the legend of the Parisian woman is being revived. As artistic director of Féraud he finds fulfilment in designing a typically French style, which speaks of femininity and frivolity. Féraud is now part of the Dutch group Secon. Apart from haute couture, Féraud is also known for its ready-to-wear line, its wedding dresses, tableware and jewellery.

In 2002 The German Group ESCADA took 90% of the Féraud shares and Yvan Mispelaere left the company.

After Féraud, Yvan Mispelaere worked for Chloé as an assistant under Phoebe Philo. He quitted Chloé to take up the position of design director at Gucci, where he will work under creative director Frida Giannini.