Julien Dossena’s time at Rabanne has come to an end: On Wednesday, the French house announced that the designer is stepping down from his creative director position after a 13-year run.
“I would like to thank the Puig family and Group for their trust and for supporting my vision over 13 years,” Dossena said in a press statement. “I’m equally grateful to my teams, ateliers and collaborators, whose craft and commitment made the work possible. This defining creative chapter at the helm of Rabanne will always have a significant resonance to me, both professionally and personally.”
Since joining the house in 2013, Dossena led Rabanne into a new era of growth and relevance by utilizing the house’s iconic chainmail in a contemporary fashion. Under his tenure, Rabanne also underwent a name change, dropped an H&Mcollaboration and gained celebrity fans like Miley Cyrus and Dua Lipa.
“Julien Dossena has profoundly shaped a new era for Rabanne, bringing renewed energy and modernity to its avant-garde heritage through a singular and globally resonant vision. All of us at Rabanne and Puig would like to warmly thank Julien for his exceptional creative direction and for the remarkable chapter he has written in the history of the Maison,” said Ana Trias, president of Prestige & Fashion Brands at Puig, in a press statement.
Prior to his Rabanne appointment, Dossena worked at Balenciaga under then-creative director Nicolas Ghesquière, and later launched his own ready-to-wear label, Atto (which he paused operations on shortly after joining Rabanne).
While Dossena’s successor hasn’t been named, there have been rumors that the French house is eyeing Olivier Rousteing (who stepped down from Balmain last November and most recently dressed Beyoncé at the 2026 Met Gala).
Dossena joins the roster of high-profile designers departing top luxury houses, including Mark Thomas exiting Carven (now helmed by Kai Nesselrath), Marco De Vincenzo parting ways from Etro and Harris Reedleaving Nina Ricci.
