Chloé
Richemont · France
Chloé is a Paris luxury house founded in 1952 by Gaby Aghion and credited with pioneering luxury ready-to-wear. It has belonged to the Richemont group since 1985. Chemena Kamali has been creative director since 2023 and Laurent Malecaze chief executive since 2024.
| Founded | 1952, Paris |
|---|---|
| Founder | Gaby Aghion |
| Owner | Richemont (since 1985) |
| Creative director | Chemena Kamali (since 2023) |
| CEO | Laurent Malecaze (since 2024) |
| Stores | 182 (Richemont) |
| Website | chloe.com |
What is Chloé?
Chloé is a French luxury fashion house known for a relaxed, romantic and bohemian style of womenswear. It is one of the fashion maisons of Richemont, the Swiss luxury group that also owns Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels.
History
Gaby Aghion, an Egyptian-born Parisian, founded Chloé in 1952 to move women away from the formal couture of the time towards high-quality ready-to-wear. Jacques Lenoir joined in 1953 to manage the business. The first collection was shown at Café de Flore in 1956, and the first boutique opened in Paris in 1971.
The house became known for its succession of designers, including Karl Lagerfeld (1974 to 1988 and 1992 to 1996), Stella McCartney (1997 to 2001), Phoebe Philo (2001 to 2006), Clare Waight Keller (2011 to 2017) and Gabriela Hearst (2020 to 2023). Chloé was acquired in 1985 by Alfred Dunhill Ltd, now part of Richemont. Chemena Kamali became creative director in 2023.
Products and positioning
Chloé is positioned in the luxury segment with womenswear as its core. Richemont lists ready-to-wear, leather goods, shoes, fragrances, eyewear, jewellery and childrenswear. Leather goods became a major category from 2002, when Phoebe Philo's Paddington bag became one of the decade's best-known It bags. Fragrances are licensed to Coty, and eyewear has been produced with licensing partners.
Business model and distribution
According to Richemont, Chloé operates a network of 182 stores, alongside wholesale partners and e-commerce. It has regional offices in New York, Tokyo, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Dubai. In 2022 the house announced plans to phase out its See by Chloé diffusion line.
Why it matters
Chloé helped create the luxury ready-to-wear category and has served as a launch pad for several of fashion's most influential designers. It is one of the key fashion assets in Richemont's mainly jewellery and watch-focused portfolio.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Chloé?
Chloé is owned by Richemont, the Swiss luxury group. The house was acquired in 1985 by Alfred Dunhill Ltd, which is now part of Richemont.
Who is the creative director of Chloé?
Chemena Kamali has been Chloé's creative director since 2023, succeeding Gabriela Hearst. Previous holders of the role include Karl Lagerfeld, Stella McCartney and Phoebe Philo.