Mark Thomas and Carven are parting ways.
“Mark Thomas, design director at Carven, will be leaving the company at the end of this month to pursue other opportunities,” the French heritage house, which is part of China’s ICCF Group, said in a statement. “His vision and designs have helped to establish the brand’s identity and style, and have positioned Carven firmly back on the fashion stage. Carven wishes Mark every success in the next chapter of his career.”
“I would like to sincerely thank every person I’ve had the pleasure of working with over the past few years for helping shape new chapters in this beautiful house,” Thomas said. “I am deeply grateful to [Carven CEO] Madame Shawna Tao and [ICCF Group president] Mr. Ye for the opportunity they gave me, and I hold the utmost respect for Madame Carven, who founded this maison in 1945. As I look ahead to new adventures, I wish the brand continued success and a bright future.”
Reviving Carven is a significant endeavor. In early 2018, the brand filed for bankruptcy and was later acquired by China’s Icicle Group, which has since rebranded as ICCF Group. There has also been creative volatility. Guillaume Henry was creative director between 2009 and 2014. Following his departure, Carven appointed a duo of creative directors, Alexis Martial and Adrien Caillaudaud, who exited in 2016. The last official holder of the position before Louise Trotter was Serge Ruffieux, who left in 2018 after three seasons.
Thomas joined Carven in 2023, reuniting with Trotter, who he had worked with at Joseph and Lacoste. Trotter left in December 2024 after just three seasons to join Bottega Veneta, while Thomas was promoted to the top job in March 2025. His first show for Spring/Summer 2026, held on the ground floor of the maison’s HQ, felt like a continuation of the sophisticated, wearable design language that he and Trotter had begun to develop.
“There’s no need to break what’s starting to work. We just need to build on top of that,” Thomas told Vogue before his first show. His “excellent” sophomore show, held at Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers, had “certainly something more assured”, according to Vogue Runway’s Amy Verner. Verner also praised the tank dresses and utilitarian-inspired coats that could be seen as “a contemporary match to Carolyn Bessette Kennedy’s style in Love Story”.
“The next steps of the house will be announced in due course this year,” Thursday’s statement also read, noting that its next show will be for SS27.
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