Considering weaker performance across the industry, it is no surprise that brands are looking to creative resets in order to reboot performance. Over the last 12 months, we have seen creative director moves across 20 brands – a new peak. Big announcements include Matthieu Blazy taking the helm at Chanel and Demna Gvasalia stepping in at Gucci. Brands are looking to new creative leads to spearhead a renewed product offering and marketing message, all the more important in the current environment.

The success of these new appointments will become apparent in the designer debuts and subsequent market performance. And while new creative leads will reshape product offerings, they also have the potential to reshape brand real estate strategies.

Looking to previous creative director changes across the most valuable brands in the industry, increases in retail floorspace accelerated in year two and year four, post appointment – with year four being the peak year (see figure 05). Based on recent creative moves, 2026 and 2028 could see an acceleration of new store openings and/ or upsizing for those brands who have welcomed new creative leads, albeit subject to the success of those appointments. This will also prove more pronounced for those ‘smaller’ brands that have seen changes.