Grace Wales Bonner
Creative director of menswear at Hermès; founder of Wales Bonner
Grace Wales Bonner is a British designer who founded her label Wales Bonner in 2014 and was named creative director of menswear at Hermès in October 2025, succeeding Véronique Nichanian. She is known for research-led menswear that draws on the culture of the African diaspora, and for a commercially successful collaboration with adidas.
| Role | Creative director of menswear, Hermès |
|---|---|
| Since | Appointed October 2025; first collection expected January 2027 |
| Own label | Wales Bonner (founded 2014) |
| Known for | adidas collaboration, diaspora-focused menswear |
| Awards | LVMH Prize 2016; MBE 2022 |
Who is Grace Wales Bonner?
Grace Wales Bonner is a London-born designer, born in 1990, and the founder of Wales Bonner. On 21 October 2025 Hermès announced her as the new creative director of menswear, succeeding Véronique Nichanian, who led the house's men's ready-to-wear for 37 years. Her first Hermès collection is expected in January 2027.
Career
Wales Bonner studied at Central Saint Martins, graduating in 2014, and launched her label the same year, initially focused on menswear. Her collections combine tailoring and sportswear with references to music, literature and art from Black and diasporic cultures.
- 2014: founded Wales Bonner.
- 2016: won the LVMH Prize for Young Fashion Designers.
- Since 2020: partnership with adidas, including sneakers and kits for the Jamaica Football Federation.
- 2021: CFDA International Men's Designer of the Year.
- 2022: appointed MBE for services to fashion.
- October 2025: named menswear creative director at Hermès.
She has also worked as a curator, including the 2023 exhibition Spirit Movers at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Influence on the fashion business
Wales Bonner is one of a small group of independent designers whose collaborations have achieved strong commercial results for a global sportswear brand, with her adidas sneakers regularly selling out. Her appointment at Hermès, one of the most closely watched luxury houses, signals how far a research-driven independent label can carry a designer. The transition from Nichanian, whose tenure was among the longest in luxury fashion, is a significant moment of succession for the house's menswear business.
Her collaborations have extended beyond sportswear to work with other fashion houses, including Dior, and her runway presentations regularly incorporate music, poetry and visual art. This interdisciplinary approach, combining commercial product with cultural programming, has become a defining feature of her brand and an important part of how it communicates with customers and the wider industry.
Why it matters
Her career illustrates a route from independent label to major house that runs through cultural credibility, collaboration and careful brand building rather than scale. For industry observers, the Hermès menswear debut in 2027 will be a key indicator of how a heritage house integrates a strong external creative voice while keeping its craft-led identity.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Grace Wales Bonner?
Grace Wales Bonner is a British fashion designer and the founder of the label Wales Bonner, launched in 2014. In October 2025 she was named creative director of menswear at Hermès.
Who replaced Véronique Nichanian at Hermès?
Grace Wales Bonner was announced in October 2025 as the successor to Véronique Nichanian, who led Hermès menswear for 37 years. Her first collection for the house is expected in January 2027.