Portuguese fashion designer Felipe Oliveira Baptista has been named as the new creative director of Kenzo.
LVMH made the announcement yesterday following Carol Lim and Humberto Leon stepping down last month as artistic directors of Kenzo after eight years to focus on Opening Ceremony, the fashion label they founded in 2002. The creative duo held their final show on June 23, in the heart of the Accor Hotels Arena with around 6,000 guests in attendance.
'Felipe's style is very compatible with our DNA,' Sylvie Colin, chief executive officer of Kenzo, told WWD. 'It's about a certain daily sophistication, silhouettes that are both chic and sporty, which is pretty much the essence of Kenzo. Felipe's creative talent is innovative, but at the same time his clothes are deeply rooted in real life.'
'Felipe's talent as a designer, his expertise in clothing and his personal attachment to diverse cultures will be valuable assets in rejuvenating the creative energy at the Maison,' Sidney Toledano, Chairman, and CEO of the LVMH group added.
'Kenzo's constant celebration of nature and cultural diversity has always been and remains at the heart of the brand,' Oliveira Baptista said in a statement. 'These two subjects have never felt more relevant and compelling than they do today and will be instrumental to the future of Kenzo.'
Known for his constantly evolving style Baptista was the creative director of Lacoste between 2010 and 2018. He also founded his eponymous brand alongside his partner Severine Oliveira Baptista in 2003. His first Kenzo collection will be unveiled in Paris next February.
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