Isabel Marant will officially launch into menswear next season, after French designer Barnabé Hardy revealed on Instagram his arrival at the French fashion house, where he will lead the new men’s line.
The womenswear designer first unveiled her menswear pieces at Paris fashion week in September 2017, where eight male models paraded a decisively sportswear and 90’s collection in the name of Isabel Marant.
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Hardy, a former Carven men’s creative director, succeeded Guillaume Henry in January 2015. He is known for his collaborations with Nicolas Ghesquière – at Callaghan and Balenciaga – and launched in 2001 a line of sweatshirts and then leathergoods soon after.
At Isabel Marant, Hardy looks to oversee the launch of the Parisian label’s firs men’s capsule collection, which is expected to expand in coming seasons.
Founded in 1990, Isabel Marant started out designing jewellery and knitwear, before establishing her eponymous ready-to-wear collection in 1994. In 2016, the brand sold a majority stake (51%) to French investment fund Montefiore.
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With a current turnover estimated at over 150 million euros, Isabel Maran today boasts more than 20 namesake stores with collections available for purchase at more than 800 luxury multi-brand retailers worldwide.