After the whirlwind of creative directors exiting and entering new houses, the fashion world has been quiet since the storm settled down. Lately, the only pieces of similar news were Olivier Rousteing leaving Balmain and Silvia Venturini Fendi stepping down from her role in Fendi. Now, Rabanne joins the mix as Creative Director and designer Julien Dossena parts ways with Rabanne after a 13-year stint.
In a statement on Instagram put out by the house, they mention that “Julien Dossena has shaped the creative spirit of Rabanne” and that he “has been the architect of a remarkable chapter in the House’s history; challenging conventions, reimagining icons, and bringing together craftsmanship, culture and modern femininity”.
In Dossena’s official statement, he mentions being grateful for the experience, but there is no mention of what comes next. “I would like to thank the Puig family and Group for their trust and for supporting my vision over thirteen years,” he said. “I’m equally grateful to my teams, ateliers, and collaborators, whose craft and commitment made the work possible. This defining creative chapter at the helm of Rabanne will always have a significant resonance to me, both professionally and personally.”
Studying fashion at the prestigious La Cambre in Brussels, Dossena began his career working under Nicolas Ghesquière at Balenciaga. He then went ahead and founded his own label, Atto, before closing shop and entering Rabanne (then known as Paco Rabanne) in 2013 at 30 years old. Now, 13 years later, Dossena has revised the perception of current-day Rabanne, toning down the initial retro-futurism founded by Paco Rabanne while keeping the experimental spirit alive. Just like the maison’s founder, Dossena also pushed Rabanne forward by playing with unconventional materials, the most notable being the evolution of the iconic 1969 bag.
According to reports, there has been no mention of Dossena’s successor, though speculation points to Olivier Rousteing possibly taking over. However, the maison has yet to release an official announcement, mentioning that a successor will be named in due time.
