What’s next for Alaïa?

When Pieter Mulier presents his final collection for Alaïa this March, it will end one of the quietest yet most effective creative tenures in recent Parisian fashion history. Not quiet because it lacked impact, quite the opposite. But because she resisted the spectacle and instead relied on consistency, restraint and a deep respect for the house’s codes.

After the death of Azzedine Alaïa in 2017, the Swiss luxury goods group Richemont took a cautious approach. For several seasons, the studio continued to operate without an official successor. In this way, the rhythm of the house and its almost anti-fashion positioning were preserved: no seasonal pressure, no catwalk theatrics, no forced relevance.

Mulier’s appointment in 2021 marked a change, not a break, but an evolution. He retained the sculptural rigor, the physical philosophy and the obsession with cutting. At the same time, he subtly modernized the offering and expanded key categories that are important for a luxury group: bags, shoes and accessories.

The result was not only renewed interest from critics, but also measurable commercial success. Alaïa became attractive again, on red carpets, in editorials and on the balance sheets. This success makes Richemont’s next decision far more complex than the first.

Who could succeed Mulier?

The obvious question – who’s next? – is also the most dangerous. Alaïa is not a brand that profits from celebrity designers or viral aesthetics. Richemont is unlikely to recruit a provocative personality or an “unknown genius” straight from college.

Instead, the group could orient itself laterally: towards designers with proven creative leadership skills. You should have the ability to work within the language of a house and experience scaling a business without diluting it.

Names that circulate quietly in industry circles tend to fall into two camps. Firstly, experienced designers who have worked in the background for a long time. This includes creative directors of second lines, long-time right hands or studio managers who understand how to build systems and not just collections.

Second, designers with experience in homes where discipline, craftsmanship and sensual minimalism intersect. Think of graduates from the Phoebe Philo era at Céline, Raf Simons’ studios or even former employees of Alaïa herself.

In other words: less spotlight, more substance.

What happens to the team?

The question of continuity is equally crucial. Mulier’s success was not individual, it was structural. His studio, merchandising and accessories teams were crucial in translating Alaïa’s codes into a modern luxury company.

Richemont will want to preserve as much of this institutional knowledge as possible. This is particularly true for leather goods, where momentum, once lost, is the hardest to rebuild. Whether the creative team stays will largely depend on who is appointed next. A side occupation could provide stability. The arrival of a star could trigger a reboot.

And then there is CEO Myriam Serrano. Under her leadership, Alaïa has achieved something rare: creative credibility coupled with profit growth. If Mulier does move to Versace, as has long been speculated, Italy’s Prada Group will almost certainly want to surround him with a strong, trustworthy management team.

Serrano’s name would be high on that list. Richemont, in turn, will strive to keep them. A change in management could destabilize the brand at a time when it has just gained a foothold.

A crucial moment for Richemont

For Richemont, Alaïa is no longer just a heritage project to be protected. It is a growth brand that requires careful succession planning. The next creative mind will need equal parts design intelligence and commercial sophistication and must have the ability to work within boundaries rather than against them.