CARVING HIS WAY: Carven has recruited Kai Raffael Nesselrath as its new design director, confirming a WWD report on April 9 that the Paris-based house was poised to poach the designer from Saint Laurent’s studio.
He will show his first collection on the runway during the spring 2027 Paris Fashion Week in the fall.
The Italian-born designer of German descent, a graduate of Polimoda who studied the Accademia di Belle Arti di Roma and took courses at Central Saint Martins, logged a short stint at Chanel before joining Saint Laurent in 2016. Over the course of almost a decade there, he rose through the ranks to womenswear head designer.
Shawna Tao, chief executive officer of Carven, said the fashion house was “very pleased” to welcome Nesselrath. “A new generation’s perspective on the world feels especially important today,” she continued. “The essence of Carven is a fresh and courageous creator’s spirit, and we believe Kai is uniquely suited to interpret and express it.”
Carven described his appointment as “an important step” in its revival and ambition to reconnect with “the house’s founding vision from 1945: a distinctly French and inclusive approach to fashion, built on uncompromising creativity, product excellence and relevance to modern life.”
The new design director said he came into his role “with lightness and optimism.”
“I love clothes, spaces and conversations that encourage breathing,” he added. “It’s an honor to keep Madame Carven’s values alive. I am very grateful to Shawna for her trust and the journey ahead together.”
The doyenne of a generation that included Christian Dior and Pierre Balmain, Marie-Louise Carven-Grog, born Carmen de Tommaso, launched her house in 1945, making her one of the rare female couturiers in Paris after Elsa Schiaparelli and Gabrielle Chanel.
By introducing comfort and freedom into the rarefied world of haute couture, her creations captured the insouciance of the post-World War II era in Paris, garnering a following among stars such as Leslie Caron, Édith Piaf and Michèle Morgan.
Over the years, Carven has changed hands several times and seen a succession of creative leaders, among them Guillaume Henry, who repositioned it as a contemporary brand.
After him came Alexis Martial and Adrien Caillaudaud as artistic directors for the women’s collections, with Barnabé Hardy for men’s. They were succeeded by Serge Ruffieux.
In 2018, Carven was acquired by ICCF Group, the Shanghai- and Paris-based fashion company that also owns Icicle. This new era saw Louise Trotter and Mark Thomas, whose one-year stint ended in April, lead the design effort.
