While creative directors in the fashion world seem in flux, Balenciaga’s Demna is staying put.
This year marked 10 years at the brand, and with that, the creative director received a prestigious award from the French Minister of Culture, Rachida Dati. On Jan. 27, Demna was awarded the Chevalier de L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, which translates to Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters.
According to a press release, the award was created on May 2, 1957, and, “recognizes individuals who have distinguished themselves through artistic or literary creations, or by promoting the influence of the Arts and Letters in France and around the world.”
Demna is reportedly the first designer from Georgia to receive the award.
“I often thought that my work was not really understood or was misinterpreted, but today, that’s changing and I’m very happy about that,” Demna reportedly said during his speech. “I didn’t know that Paris would become a home, and even more so a place that would influence my style and my vision of fashion so much.”
Lately, there has been a lot of turnover in the fashion world. In December, Chanel appointed Matthieu Blazy as its incoming creative director, after serving as Bottega Veneta's CD for three years; Louise Trotter became Blazy's successor. Last March, former Gucci designer Alessandro Michele was named creative director of Valentino, after ex-Valentino designer Sabato De Sarno was appointed CD at Gucci.
