PARIS – Courrèges has appointed Drew Henry as artistic director, making him the latest former collaborator of Phoebe Philo to be handed the reins of a major design house.
The South African-born designer will succeed Nicolas Di Felice in May and will present his first runway collection during Paris Fashion Week in September, the brand said in a statement late Monday.
“His appointment builds on the strong momentum Courrèges has established in recent years and marks a new chapter for Courrèges,” the brand said.
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Courrèges revealed last week that it was parting ways with Di Felice after a five-year tenure during which the Belgian designer put the Space Age label back on the map, marking the latest installment in a seemingly never-ending round of creative director musical chairs.
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It was Di Felice’s first creative director post after a career behind the scenes, working mostly alongside Nicolas Ghesquière at Balenciaga and Louis Vuitton.
Courrèges is hoping lightning will strike twice by staking its bet on another second-in-command. Henry is one of several design talents to emerge from Philo’s orbit, including Michael Rider at Celine and Daniel Lee, first at Bottega Veneta and now at Burberry.
Originally from Mpumalanga in eastern South Africa, Henry studied at the LISOF fashion school in Johannesburg, which specializes in pattern cutting and garment construction, before moving to London to attend Central Saint Martins.
The 38-year-old graduated from its M.A. fashion program in 2014 under the late Louise Wilson, the influential teacher who shaped the creativity and fueled the ambitions of scores of students, including Lee Alexander McQueen, Kim Jones and Philo herself.
Henry began his career at Celine under Philo, and was appointed design director for ready-to-wear at JW Anderson in 2018. Two years later, he was reunited with Philo as head of design for the launch of her eponymous brand. Since 2023, he has been senior design director at Burberry, working alongside Lee.
“Drew Henry is a strong creative talent with a clear point of view. His experience and understanding of today’s fashion landscape make him well placed to lead the next phase of Courrèges,” said François-Henri Pinault, chairman of Artémis, the Pinault family holding company that owns the Courrèges brand.
“His creative talent and contemporary culture make him a perfect fit for the house. Together, we aim to accelerate its international expansion and amplify its global reach, while remaining true to the brand’s French heritage,” added Marie Leblanc, chief executive officer of Courrèges, who has overseen a price repositioning of the line amid a global slowdown in luxury spending.
Di Felice revamped the brand’s offering with sensual, gender-fluid takes on signature items like vinyl jackets, go-go boots and ribbed knits. He relaunched its fragrance line with new scents such as Slogan and Le Messager, and introduced accessories including the Hobo and Holy handbags.
Henry suggested he would take a pragmatic approach to the brand.
“André Courrèges believed in clothes that make sense for how people live. That matters to me. I have always been drawn to work that feels modern, useful and direct,” he said.
“Joining this iconic French house, I feel a strong responsibility to honor its history while bringing my own perspective. I am grateful to François-Henri Pinault and Marie Leblanc for their trust, and I am excited to shape a vision for the house that is optimistic, clear and grounded,” Henry added.