Alaïa, the House That Refused Fashion's Pace

On the afternoon of Friday, January 30, 2026, the eyes of the global fashion scene turned to Alaïa. The house had officially announced its parting of ways with creative director Pieter Mulier.

Pieter Mulier joined in 2021 as the first creative director of a house that had carried on its collections through a studio system after founder Azzedine Alaïa passed away in 2017. Over five years, he more than doubled the size of the brand and created a string of commercial and critical hits, including the mesh ballet flat and the Le Teckel bag.

Now that he has left, we look at the turning point Alaïa faces and the next stage of its business.

The Five-Year Legacy Pieter Mulier Left Behind

Rather than simply presenting trendy items, Pieter Mulier precisely captured the new silhouettes and sensibility the market wanted. Instead of relying on excessive virality, he rebuilt Alaïa's presence around cutting technique, materials, and sculptural design.

• Mesh Ballet Flat: Became a cult item in the luxury market, inspiring similar designs from countless brands.
• Le Teckel Bag: Quickly gained recognition with its long, sculptural proportions reminiscent of a dachshund.
• Business growth: During Mulier's tenure, Alaïa's standalone stores reportedly expanded from 5 to 20, and the brand's business more than doubled in size.

Even within a fast-moving fashion industry, he valued having enough time to experiment and reflect, and on that foundation he brought Alaïa back to the center of high-sensibility luxury houses.

Restraint and Reduction: The FW26 Final Show

His final show, held in Paris on March 5, 2026, was less a glamorous farewell and more an extremely simple and restrained stage of "reduction." His longtime creative partner Raf Simons and Chanel creative director Matthieu Blazy were also in the audience.

A video featuring portraits of the entire Alaïa team was screened in the show space, and books containing their photographs were placed on the seats. Mulier turned his final collection into a stage showcasing the collective strength of the entire house rather than a personal farewell.

In effect, he left behind the message that although he was leaving, the talent in the ateliers and studio that make Alaïa is the very core of the brand's continuity.

The Studio System Richemont Chose

Alaïa's parent company, Richemont, is a group heavily weighted toward jewelry and watches, with houses like Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels, but it also operates several fashion and accessories maisons, including Alaïa, Chloé, and dunhill.

Since Pieter Mulier's departure, Alaïa has not rushed to announce a successor, instead carrying on its collections led by its in-house studio.

Philippe Fortunato, CEO of Richemont's fashion division, also stated that the next chapter will unfold on the strength of the "collective talent" that defines Alaïa.

It can be read as a choice to first demonstrate the continuity of the ateliers and studio, rather than immediately putting forward a new star designer.

The Next Seat, Still Empty

As of August 2026, Alaïa has not announced an official successor to Pieter Mulier. Mulier moved to Versace as creative director as of July 1, and Alaïa continues its collections led by its in-house studio for the time being.

Olivier Rousteing, mentioned as an early candidate, has been appointed the new creative director of Rabanne, and Julien Dossena, who led Rabanne for 13 years, has left the brand.

However, since Alaïa has not revealed an official shortlist of successors, it seems more important to watch how long the studio system will last, and how the brand's creativity and commercial performance are sustained during this period, rather than any specific designer's name.

Strategies for Buyers

• Pay Attention to the Final Season of the Mulier Era
  FW26 is the last season Pieter Mulier completed at Alaïa. It's worth buyers' attention in that they can assemble the final collection together with signature products that define the Mulier era, such as the mesh flat and Le Teckel.
• Strategic Realignment Before and After the Next CD Announcement
  If a successor is appointed, the brand's overall collection direction and marketing language may change. It's necessary to adjust your buying share after reviewing the first collection following the next CD announcement.
• Observing Brand Equity During the Interim Period
  It's worth checking whether the collections the Alaïa studio presents during the director's absence can continue to hold the attention of editors and customers. This is a period that reveals how strong the house's own brand equity is, beyond any individual designer.

💡 EDITORIAL SMALL TALK

Founder Azzedine Alaïa was famous for not being bound by the traditional fashion week calendar, presenting shows on his own schedule whenever he judged a collection to be ready. Pieter Mulier grew the brand by connecting global retail and commercial systems on top of the founder's independent sense of time. Now, Alaïa's next challenge is clear: how to carry on both the independent creative spirit the founder left behind and the global business that expanded during the Mulier era. Before any successor, it's now the current studio system's turn to show the answer.