Nicolas Ghesquière facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nicolas Ghesquière
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Ghesquière in 2019
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| Born | 9 May 1971 Comines, Nord-Pas de Calais, France
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Label(s)
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Louis Vuitton |
Nicolas Ghesquière (born May 9, 1971) is a famous French-Belgian fashion designer. Since 2013, he has been the creative director for women's fashion at the well-known company Louis Vuitton, which is owned by LVMH.
Contents
Early Life and Fashion Dreams
Nicolas Ghesquière was born in Comines, France. His father managed a golf course, and his French mother loved fashion. Nicolas grew up in Loudun, France. When he was young, he enjoyed sports like horse riding, fencing, and swimming. These activities later inspired some of his fashion collections, like his scuba mini dresses and equestrian-themed designs.
From a very young age, Nicolas knew he wanted to be a designer. He started sketching dress designs in his school books when he was just 12 years old. He even made dresses from his mother's curtains and designed earrings using crystals from his grandmother's chandelier!
With help from his father, Nicolas created a collection of his drawings. He sent these drawings, along with a letter, to several designers. He also did internships during his school holidays. At 14, he worked for French designer agnès b, and they paid him with clothes. After another internship, he decided that fashion was hard work and went back to finish school.
Starting His Fashion Career
After finishing high school at 18, Nicolas Ghesquière chose not to go to art school. Instead, he worked as an assistant for the designer Jean-Paul Gaultier from 1990 to 1992. After that, he designed knitwear for a company called Pôles. He also took on other design jobs for different companies.
Leading Balenciaga
Through some connections, Ghesquière got a job at the famous Paris fashion house Balenciaga. He started by working on designs for the Asian market. At that time, Balenciaga wasn't as successful as it once was. The company that owned Balenciaga saw Nicolas's talent when he designed a small collection for one of their Japanese partners.
In 1997, when he was only 25, Nicolas Ghesquière was chosen to be the creative director of Balenciaga. This was a big surprise! He was put in charge of everything for the brand, including clothes, accessories, store designs, and advertising. He had less than four months to create the entire spring-summer 1998 collection.
While working at Balenciaga, Ghesquière became known for his unique style. He often mixed different looks, like pairing tight pants with a big, puffy top. His designs quickly made Balenciaga a very popular fashion house. One of his biggest successes was the Lariat bag, which had braided handles and cool zipper pulls. This bag is now considered a modern classic.
Nicolas Ghesquière respected the original designs of Balenciaga's founder, Cristóbal Balenciaga. He also worked closely with the same artists, like French artist Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster, who helped design every Balenciaga store. He also said that actress Charlotte Gainsbourg was an inspiration for him.
In 2001, the Gucci Group bought Balenciaga. Nicolas Ghesquière wanted to stay and help Balenciaga grow, and he did. He said it was a "happy relationship" because they wanted to hear his ideas for Balenciaga. During his 15 years at Balenciaga, Nicolas Ghesquière helped turn the brand into one of the fastest-growing and most successful fashion labels.
In November 2012, Nicolas Ghesquière left Balenciaga. There was a disagreement that followed his departure.
Moving to Louis Vuitton
On November 4, 2013, Ghesquière officially took over from Marc Jacobs as the creative director for women's collections at Louis Vuitton. Some of his first designs for Louis Vuitton were worn by actress Jennifer Connelly on the red carpet. His first fashion show for Louis Vuitton was on March 5, 2014. Louis Vuitton has renewed his contract several times, showing how much they value his work.
Since joining Louis Vuitton, Ghesquière has presented his designs in amazing places. These include the Louvre museum in Paris (the first time a fashion house was allowed to hold a show there!), Monaco's Palace Square, the Hope Residence in Palm Springs, the Niterói Contemporary Art Museum in Rio de Janeiro, and the TWA Flight Center in New York.
In 2019, Ghesquière even designed special character outfits for the video game League of Legends. On May 22, 2025, Nicolas Ghesquière presented Louis Vuitton's Cruise 2026 collection at the Palais des Papes in Avignon.
Awards and Recognition
Nicolas Ghesquière has received many awards for his work.
- In 1998, he was named avant-garde designer of the year at the VH1/Vogue Fashion Awards.
- A year later, the CFDA named him Womenswear Designer of the Year.
- In 2006, he was listed among the TIME 100 Most Influential People.
- In 2008, he was named Designer of the Year at the Accessories Council Excellence Awards.
- American Vogue magazine called him "fashion's most sought-after and influential figure."
- In 2014, he was named International Designer of the Year by the British Fashion Awards.
Personal Life
Nicolas Ghesquière lives between Paris and Los Angeles. He has been in a relationship with his partner, Drew Kuhse, since early 2020. In 2022, Ghesquière bought the Wolff House in Los Angeles, a famous house designed by John Lautner.
See also
In Spanish: Nicolas Ghesquière para niños
