Drew Henry takes over Courrèges — another alumnus of Phoebe Philo’s studio
Philo-era Céline turned out to be modern fashion’s main talent factory: Daniel Lee, Matthieu Blazy and Michael Rider all came through it. Now Drew Henry.
Courrèges begins a new chapter with Drew Henry as artistic director. The 38-year-old, South Africa-born designer joins from Burberry, where he had been senior design director under Daniel Lee since 2023.
The appointment was announced by Artémis, the Pinault family holding company that controls Kering and took full control of Courrèges in 2018. It came a week after Belgian designer Nicolas di Felice exited to “focus on personal projects.” Henry officially starts in May 2026.
A 2014 Central Saint Martins graduate, he has worked behind the scenes at Céline, JW Anderson, Phoebe Philo and Burberry. “Drew Henry is a strong creative talent with a clear point of view,” said Artémis chairman François-Henri Pinault. “His experience and understanding of today’s fashion landscape make him well-placed to lead the next phase of Courrèges.”
The appointment underlines how far Phoebe Philo’s influence still reaches. Her Céline studio proved to be a breeding ground for design talent: alongside her worked designers later propelled to prominence, including Daniel Lee, Matthieu Blazy and Michael Rider, and to a lesser extent Peter Do and Rok Hwang. Henry himself joined Céline first as an intern while studying, then as part of Philo’s design team after graduating. Following an in-between stint at JW Anderson, he reunited with Philo in 2020 as head of design for the launch of her eponymous brand.
“His creative talent and contemporary culture make him a perfect fit for the house,” said Courrèges CEO Marie Leblanc. “Together, we aim to accelerate its international expansion and amplify its global reach, while remaining true to the brand’s French heritage.”
“André Courrèges believed in clothes that make sense for how people live. That matters to me,” Henry said. “I have always been drawn to work that feels modern, useful, and direct. Joining this iconic French house, I feel a strong responsibility to honor its history while bringing my own perspective.”
The house founded by André Courrèges and his wife Coqueline in 1961 had regained momentum under di Felice after years of instability. Still, Courrèges is not immune to the sector’s wider challenges. Henry takes the creative helm toward the end of the major fashion reshuffle, with new designers at many leading houses. His runway debut is slated for Paris Fashion Week in September.