Nadège Vanhee
Artistic director of women's ready to wear at Hermès
Nadège Vanhee is the French designer who has led women's ready to wear at Hermès since 2014. A graduate of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp who worked at Margiela, Céline and The Row, she has built Hermès womenswear into one of its fastest growing areas and is designing the house's first haute couture collection, due in January 2027.
| Role | Artistic director of women's ready to wear, Hermès |
|---|---|
| Since | 2014 |
| Upcoming | First Hermès haute couture collection, January 2027 |
| Previously | The Row, Céline, Maison Martin Margiela |
| Education | Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp, 2003 |
| Nationality | French |
Who is Nadège Vanhee?
Nadège Vanhee, also written Vanhée, was born in Seclin in northern France. She is the artistic director of women's ready to wear at Hermès, a role she has held since 2014, presenting her first collection for the house the following year. She is known for a discreet public profile and a focus on material, construction and function.
Career
Vanhee studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp, graduating in 2003. She then worked at Maison Martin Margiela, at Céline under Phoebe Philo and at The Row, where she was design director.
At Hermès her collections draw on the house's leather craftsmanship and equestrian codes, aiming at practical wardrobes for independent women. She has described her approach as balancing "a certain sense of curiosity, empathy; a slight paradox between fun and beauty."
In January 2026, after more than a decade in the role, she was profiled as having made ready to wear one of Hermès' fastest growing areas. In July 2026 Hermès announced that it would present its first haute couture collection in January 2027, during Paris Haute Couture Week, designed by Vanhee.
Influence on the fashion business
Vanhee's tenure is significant for several reasons:
- Building ready to wear inside a house best known for leather goods and silk
- Emphasising quality, longevity and craft over trend driven product
- Long, stable creative tenure at a time of frequent designer changes elsewhere
- Extending Hermès into haute couture for the first time
Vanhee is known for working without the spectacle that surrounds many creative directors, and she has been described as commuting by Paris metro. Her collections often favour leather, knitwear and outerwear designed to last, an approach that fits Hermès' long standing emphasis on craftsmanship and the quality of its materials. She has said of the category: "I know that it's going to evolve more."
Why it matters
While many luxury houses have changed creative directors repeatedly, Hermès has kept Vanhee in place for over a decade, and her womenswear has grown alongside the house's broader success. Her move into couture marks a new chapter for Hermès and makes her one of the most influential, if understated, designers in Paris.
Frequently asked questions
Who designs womenswear at Hermès?
Nadège Vanhee has been artistic director of women's ready to wear at Hermès since 2014. In July 2026 Hermès announced that she would also design its first haute couture collection, to be shown in January 2027.
Who is Nadège Vanhee?
Nadège Vanhee is a French designer who studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp and worked at Maison Martin Margiela, Céline under Phoebe Philo and The Row before joining Hermès.