Vetements
Vetements Group AG · Switzerland
Vetements is a Swiss-French luxury fashion house founded in 2014 by the brothers Demna and Guram Gvasalia, headquartered in Zurich. It is owned by Vetements Group AG and led by Guram Gvasalia as creative director since Demna left in 2019. It is known for oversized, subversive fashion presented outside conventional runway formats.
| Founded | 2014 |
|---|---|
| Founders | Demna Gvasalia and Guram Gvasalia |
| Owner | Vetements Group AG |
| Headquarters | Zurich, Switzerland |
| Creative director | Guram Gvasalia |
| Website | vetements.com |
What is Vetements?
Vetements (French for clothes) is a luxury fashion house described by Wikipedia as a Swiss-French company and design collective. It makes clothing, shoes and accessories for women and men, and is owned by Vetements Group AG, headquartered in Zurich.
History
Vetements was founded in 2014 by the Georgian designers Demna and Guram Gvasalia. Its first collection, autumn/winter 2014-15, was presented in a Paris gallery, and its first runway show was spring/summer 2015 at Espace Pierre Cardin. Demna was hired by Balenciaga after only three Vetements collections. The company moved its headquarters to Zurich before the spring/summer 2018 season.
Demna left the brand in 2019, after which Guram Gvasalia became the creative director. The official website describes the house as being under the creative direction of Guram Gvasalia.
Products and positioning
The brand is positioned in luxury, with oversized silhouettes, reworked everyday garments and strong branding. Its shows have often used unconventional settings:
- The autumn/winter 2017-18 show at the Centre Georges Pompidou
- Spring/summer 2017, a project with 17 heritage brands including Brioni and Juicy Couture at Galeries Lafayette
- Spring/summer 2019, under the Boulevard Périphérique, with models flown in from Georgia
Business model and distribution
The sources reviewed show an operation focused on wholesale and online sales rather than a large own-store network. The official website lists no stores, and its shopping links route women's and men's collections to the retailer SSENSE. The sources do not give turnover, number of retailers or the split between channels.
Why it matters
Vetements is widely associated with the shift of luxury fashion towards streetwear-inflected, anti-establishment design in the mid-2010s, and with the career of Demna, who went on to lead Balenciaga. Its collective model and its Swiss corporate base distinguish it from other Paris-based labels.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Vetements?
Vetements is owned by Vetements Group AG, a company based in Zurich. Guram Gvasalia is the creative director.
Where is Vetements from?
Vetements was founded in Paris in 2014 and is described as a Swiss-French house. It moved its headquarters to Zurich before the spring/summer 2018 season.