Nicolas Ghesquiere is a French fashion designer and photographer who has been at the forefront of the fashion industry for over two decades. He is best known for his work as the creative director of Louis Vuitton from 2013 to 2020, where he was credited with reviving the brand’s image and bringing it into the 21st century.
Ghesquiere was born in Comines, France in 1971. He studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris before beginning his career as a freelance designer in 1992. His first major success came when he was hired by Jean-Paul Gaultier to design his ready-to-wear collection. After working with Gaultier for two years, Ghesquiere moved on to Balenciaga, where he served as creative director from 1997 to 2012. During this time, he developed a signature aesthetic that combined modernity with classicism and earned him numerous awards and accolades from the fashion industry.
In 2013, Ghesquiere was appointed creative director of Louis Vuitton, where he continued to develop his signature style while also introducing new elements such as streetwear and athleisure into the brand’s collections. His tenure at Louis Vuitton ended in 2020 when he left to pursue other projects.
In addition to his work as a fashion designer, Ghesquiere has also established himself as an accomplished photographer. He has collaborated with numerous publications such as Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar on editorial shoots and has also released several books featuring his photography work. His photographs have been exhibited in galleries around the world and have been featured in several museum collections including The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.