And the Creative Director musical chairs continues.
As WWD reports, designer Harris Reed is stepping down as creative director of Nina Ricci, the French fashion house said on Wednesday. “The house would like to sincerely thank Harris for his contagious energy and dedication,” Ricci said in a statement, after Reed posted the news on Instagram.
“I have loved Nina Ricci and this extraordinary team with my entire heart, and I’ve cherished every second of this beautiful chapter with the house. This experience will always remain a deeply personal milestone. It’s something I carry with immense pride,” the designer said. “Now feels like the right moment to pour all of my energy into my own brand as it enters an incredibly exciting new phase,” he added.
Reed’s fall 2026 collection, presented in Paris on March 6, was his final show for the brand. The designer was inspired by the “Marie Antoinette Style” exhibition at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London for his collection of sharp jacquard pant suits, crinoline skirts and corsets, worn over T-shirts or track suits.
Nina Ricci, controlled by Spanish group Puig, appointed the buzzy British American talent in 2022. He became the youngest designer to take the creative helm of the house, shaking it up with his inclusive vision of femininity and launching a fragrance, Venus.
“When I first arrived at Nina Ricci, I was 26 years old, not long graduated, single and still finding my footing while learning how to stand confidently with an unconventional voice,” Reed said in his Instagram post. “Today, I leave having learned and grown so much, and I am so excited to enter this next chapter of my life with my husband — and dog — beside me, in a home that I love, ready to take my own company into its next chapter,” he added.
Since graduating from Central Saint Martins in 2020, Reed has established a reputation for gender-fluid designs rooted in theatrical volumes and spectacular headdresses, going on to launch collaborations with jeweler Missoma, wallcoverings specialist Fromental and whisky label Royal Salute, among others.
He has dressed celebrities including Beyoncé, Harry Styles, Cardi B, Emma Corrin and Lil Nas X, and memorably attended the 2024 Met Gala with Demi Moore.
At Nina Ricci, Reed championed plus-size models like Ashley Graham, who regularly appeared in his shows, and plied an exuberant glamour that melded Paris chic with Los Angeles swagger, honed through his collaboration with stylist Carine Roitfeld for the last three seasons.
“All of us at Nina Ricci and Puig would like to extend our warmest thanks to Harris Reed, who, since his arrival, has brought a breath of fresh air as well as an inspiring and inclusive perspective and exceptional creativity. Harris has written a beautiful chapter in the history of Nina Ricci,” said Ana Trias, president of Nina Ricci.
It did not immediately name a replacement. “Further updates on the new organization will be shared in due course,” it said.
Famous mostly for its fragrances, the house founded in 1932 has seen an array of fashion designers come and go in recent years, including Botter designers Rushemy Botter and Lisi Herrebrugh, Guillaume Henry, Peter Copping, Nathalie Gervais, Massimo Giussani, James Aguiar, Lars Nilsson and Olivier Theyskens.
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