Courrèges shakes up parisian fashion: di felice departs after five years

Nicolas Di Felice has exited Courrèges, leaving the French house in search of a new creative direction. The designer’s departure, announced just days after his Paris runway show, signals a significant shift for the brand and has already sparked speculation about his next move—and the potential vacancy he leaves behind at Alaïa.

A legacy of club kid glamour and space-age chic

Di Felice, a graduate of La Cambre in Brussels, took the helm of Courrèges in September 2020, bringing with him a pedigree honed under the likes of Nicolas Ghesquière at Balenciaga and Louis Vuitton, and Raf Simons at Christian Dior. He quickly established a distinct aesthetic—a potent blend of body-conscious clubwear and the brand’s signature space-age futurism. The early days, hampered by pandemic lockdowns, didn’t stifle his vision; rather, they seemed to sharpen it, culminating in memorable after-parties that became as much a part of the Courrèges experience as the clothes themselves.

His runway shows were notorious for their theatrical flourishes. Who could forget the haptic “breathing” set or the cascading shower of multicolored confetti synchronized to the music? But beyond the spectacle, Di Felice solidified a recognizable Courrèges wardrobe: vinyl jackets, sharply cut miniskirts emblazoned with the iconic AC logo (a nod to founder André Courrèges), ribbed knits, and unexpectedly cool boot-cut jeans. The recent show, presented as