Paris – In a break from the hustle and bustle – and some of the names constantly floating around the internet regarding the fashion audience’s game of musical chairs – Lanvin instead sought out low-key, seasoned talent.
On Thursday, the French house said British designer Peter Copping will start as its new artistic director in September.
The announcement comes a day after Balenciaga unveiled Demna’s fourth couture collection since Spanish founder Cristóbal Balenciaga closed his legendary couture house in 2021, more than 50 years since he began creating high fashion.
Most recently, Copping worked at Balenciaga, where he “directed the ateliers to relaunch the couture collection,” according to Lanvin.
But he is best known for helming Oscar de la Renta and Nina Ricci early in his career.
Copping is expected to return immediately to Lanvin’s pre-fall 2025 collections for women and men. The exact timing of her runway debut was not immediately known.
Condemning the long search for a new creative, Lanvin said Copping would bring „the unique perspective and technical expertise of a modern couturier”.
„His work coincides with the brand transformation launched over the past two years, in which Lanvin is reimagining contemporary culture with a sensibility of radical chic and French sophistication.”
Siddhartha Shukla, Lanvin’s deputy chief executive, described Copping’s arrival as “an important milestone in the renaissance of one of the great French maisons. With Peter’s vision and technical rigor, and the continued diligence of our teams worldwide, I believe we will identify a new frontier in fashion, delivering beauty and results in equal measure.
Eric Chan, CEO of publicly traded Lanvin Group, expressed his conviction that „Peter’s outstanding talent and ability to redefine the Maison’s codes with passion and innovation make him the ideal candidate to drive success for Lanvin.”
Copping, for his part, said he was „extremely honored” to be chosen for the role and to „join the atelier and the team to write the next chapter for this iconic house”.
„Jean Lanvin was a visionary of his time, his interests and passions transcended fashion, just like mine,” he added.
A graduate of the Royal College of Art and Central Saint Martins in London, Copping worked in Sonia Rykiel’s design studio for several years before being hired by Marc Jacobs as his first assistant in 1997 when Louis Vuitton expanded into ready-to-wear.
Copping stayed at Vuitton until 2009, when he was named Nina Ricci’s creative director, before moving on to Oscar de la Renta five years later.
In the statement, Lanvin noted that de la Renta was a couture assistant at Lanvin under Antonio Castillo, who headed the Paris house from 1950 to 1962 following the death of founder Jean Lanvin.
In 2014, de la Renta appointed Copping as his successor, with the intention of a gradual handover, a plan that was upset when de la Renta died several months later following a long battle with cancer.
In another stroke of historical coincidence, Copping became the second designer in her career to work for both Nina Ricci and Lanvin. Jules-Francois Grahe, who took over from Castillo at Lanvin in 1963 and stayed on for 20 years, had previously led Nina Ricci for 11 years starting in 1952.
After leaving de la Renta in 2016, before joining Balenciaga to return to its decor in 2021, Copping devoted himself to interior projects: contributing to Architecture Digest France; Curating the sale of English and European antiques for Christie’s London and codifying a range of high-quality cushions and throws inspired by his and Rambert Rigaud’s 15th-century manor in Normandy, France.
Bruno Chialelli, Lanvin’s previous creative director after a four-year stint, left the French house in April 2023. Her last collection was for Fall 2023, which focused on elevated casual wear, tailoring, chemise dresses and sophistication. A nod to the home’s 1920s heyday.
Since Shukla took over as deputy general manager four years ago, Lanvin has implemented a comprehensive reset of its product strategy. He created dedicated groups for leather goods and jewelry, and established the Lanvin Laboratory for rotating collaborations of an experimental nature.
In keeping with the broader trend towards traditional luxury, the latest collections are anchored in a chic and serene style that is linked to Lanvin’s claim to fame as the oldest fashion house in Paris.
Coping comes at a challenging time for luxury for Lanvin Group’s flagship brand.
Wolford, St. The group, which operates the John, Sergio Rossi and Caruso brands, saw sales growth of just 1 percent last year amid macroeconomic interventions and other challenges.
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