On January 30, Paris-based fashion house Alaïa officially announced that its Belgian creative director, Pieter Mulier, will step down from his role. Mulier will conclude his tenure following the presentation of Alaïa’s Fall/Winter 2026 collection during Paris Fashion Week this March.
Myriam Serrano, chief executive officer of Alaïa, commented: “Over the past five years, Pieter and the exceptional team he led have shaped Alaïa’s creative renewal, honoring its heritage and strengthening the maison’s relevance, confidence, and global recognition.”
No successor has been named at this stage. Alaïa stated that “the studio will ensure continuity during the interim period until a new creative organization is confirmed.”
Parent company Richemont also released a statement expressing gratitude for Mulier’s contributions. The group praised his role in fostering a corporate culture that “values creative exploration, transcending any one individual, and lives through the hands, eyes and sensibilities of the maison’s teams.”
Pieter Mulier’s Legacy at Alaïa
Mulier joined Alaïa three years after the passing of founder Azzedine Alaïa. With a deep understanding of the house’s core philosophy—sculpting the female body with precision and sensuality—he brought a renewed design language to the maison by layering experimentation and modernism onto its heritage. Centered on femininity, his work avoided nostalgia and excessive ornamentation, instead achieving a new sense of strength through tension between structure and the body.
This creative vision translated clearly into business growth. During his tenure, Alaïa accelerated its retail expansion, growing its network of freestanding boutiques to approximately 20 locations worldwide. Particularly symbolic was the brand’s full-scale entry into the Chinese market. The opening of Alaïa’s first China flagship store at Sanlitun Taikoo Li in Beijing marked a significant milestone, with Mulier himself involved in shaping the spatial concept—presenting a holistic brand experience where architecture and garments converged.
On the product front, Mulier introduced multiple new icons for the maison. The mesh ballerina flats debuted in his first collection became a signature item, balancing Alaïa’s sensuality with everyday wearability. Handbag designs such as the elongated Teckel bag and the later Le Click further propelled the growth of the accessories business. As a result of these successes, Alaïa’s overall business scale is widely understood to have more than doubled since Mulier’s arrival.
Mulier also articulated a clear aesthetic philosophy in the way collections were presented. Initially distancing himself from the official fashion calendar, he staged shows in unconventional locations—including his home in Antwerp, Alaïa’s Paris boutique, and the Guggenheim Museum in New York—treating place itself as part of the creative expression. Although the brand later transitioned to the official Paris Fashion Week ready-to-wear schedule, this evolution underscored Alaïa’s independence and creative autonomy. These achievements were internationally recognized when Mulier was named International Designer of the Year at the 2025 CFDA Awards.
While no official announcement has been made regarding his next role, industry speculation strongly points to a move to Versace.
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