Guram Gvasalia’s new position, he brings both the creative and the business sides of Vetements under his remit
“Everything has its time. It is time for me to come out!” wrote Guram Gvasalia in a press release. The so-called “coming out” is Gvasalia’s way of announcing his new role at Vetements: Starting with the autumn/winter 2022 collection, Gvasalia will be the brand’s creative director.
Wait—wasn’t he the creative director all along? Not quite.
When Vetements was founded in 2014 it was a partnership between Guram Gvasalia and his brother Demna Gvasalia. Guram managed the business aspect and worked as the CEO while Demna handled the design and led the Vetements design collective. When Demna became the creative director of Balenciaga in 2015, he stayed in his design role at Vetements until he left to focus solely on Balenciaga in 2019. Since then Vetements has operated with a collective credited for its collections—and there have been many of those, from the 100-plus look seasonal drops to the newly launched VTMNTS sister brand of equally subversive garments.
Look 12 at Vetements autumn/winter 2022. Photo: Gio Staiano
With Guram Gvasalia’s new position, he brings both the creative and the business sides of Vetements under his remit. It’s a choice, he wrote in a statement, intended to showcase not only that both can live in harmony, but that creativity isn’t limited to those classically trained in fashion design. “The truth is, creativity is a part of human nature. We all have it. Some are just too scared to channel it ’cause of the society and the boxes most of us are put in since we are kids,” he wrote. “We all have our own sensibilities and if they are calling to you—just let them out!”
His letter continued, explaining that after years of being the business-oriented brother, he is ready to embrace his artistic side publicly. “Vetements, since day one, is built on creativity. And I want to make sure that all the young people out there know—you do not need to have rich parents, you do not need an investor, you do not need to sell your soul to big evil corporations—you can make it on your own. You can change your life with your own creativity and passion.”
The results of Gvasalia’s new gig are actually already out there: Vetements presented its autumn/winter 2022 collection on November 25. That collection featured face masks, modifiable blazers that can be adjusted with zippers, and a The Gvasalias graphic inspired by The Simpsons.
Originally published on Vogue