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Grace Wales Bonner is having a landmark year. In a few months, she will take over as creative director of menswear at Hermès, succeeding Véronique Nichanian, who holds the distinction of being fashion’s longest-serving creative director. Wales Bonner plans to continue running her own signature label alongside the new role, which she originally launched in 2014.
For her fall collection, she drew inspiration from Indian classical music — specifically the repetitive, emotionally resonant structure of raga — and the work of brutalist architect Balkrishna Doshi. The designer described her thinking as centred on modernist design as a vehicle for shaping new identities, with references to an architect’s wardrobe, colour-blocking, and ceremonial details like the sash.
The resulting collection featured clean lines, bold shapes, and a hybrid of sportswear and workwear sensibilities. Standout pieces included a dark rugby shirt with a thick diagonal white stripe, madras baseball jackets, long-sleeve shirts with leather collars, and softly tailored suits in a subtle check. Knitwear played a significant role, with striped pieces in earthy tones accented by lavender, alongside textured styles featuring twisted cables and fine ribs, including a twinset inspired by old-fashioned long johns.
Wales Bonner has been deepening her knitwear expertise through a close collaboration with John Smedley, the historic Derbyshire-based manufacturer, exploring their archives and overseeing production firsthand. Decorative details rounded out the collection, including silver studs along leather collar edges and architectural brooches crafted from panga panga wood and semiprecious stones, made in Botswana by Beulah Serema and Peter Mabeo.
On the upcoming Hermès chapter, Wales Bonner expressed genuine excitement, describing the house as magical and saying she looks forward to bringing her own perspective to its storied heritage.
