Courrèges names Nicolas Di Felice new Artistic Director

By

Godfrey Deeny

Published
Sep 10, 2020

Courrèges has announced the appointment of Nicolas Di Felice as the house’s new Artistic Director, effective today.

 
“I’ve always dreamed of Courrèges, of its total and enveloping universe. It’s a house that means a lot to me and in which I recognize myself. Its simplicity, its clarity, but also its optimism: I am honored to continue to keep alive these values with, I hope, just as much passion and enthusiasm as the founder,” said Di Felice in a release.
 
Of Belgian origin, 37-year-old Di Felice studied at the noted fashion school of Brussels, La Cambre, before then working for Balenciaga, Christian Dior and Louis Vuitton.

The appointment comes four months after the house named Adrien Da Maia to be its new president. 
 
“The nomination of Nicolas as artistic director marks a great day in the history of Courrèges. His vision for the brand, clear and modern, links perfectly with the timeless values of the house,” said Da Maia. 
 
Di Felice succeeds Yolanda Zobel, who was only named artistic director in 2018; she followed the design duo of Sébastien Meyer and Arnaud Vaillant, the founders of Indie label Coperni, who were dismissed after a three-year stint in 2018.
 
The father of French Space Age minimalism, Courrèges is noted for its signature futuristic style and obsession with white. Despite multiple recent travails, it remains an iconic French marque and one with real hidden potential, so Di Felice debut – in March 2021 – will be closely watched.
 
Founded in 1961 by André and Coqueline Courrèges, the house was acquired in end 2017 by Artemis, the key investment arm of the Pinault family. The Pinaults control Kering, the world’s second largest luxury group, which includes such stellar marques as Saint Laurent, Gucci, Alexandre McQueen and Bottega Veneta.