The 41-year-old German designer has worked twice for Chloé and spent six years as design director of women's ready-to-wear at Saint Laurent.

Chemena Kamali is the new key figure at Chloé, following the exit of Gabriela Hearst this month. President and CEO Riccardo Bellini welcomed her in a statement this morning. "Chemena's extraordinary creative talent, vast experience and unique connection to the brand's heritage and values make her a natural choice for the maison. [Her] vision, inspired by her love for the brand, will truly celebrate Chloé's unique DNA.... I am excited to see her at work."

Kamali began her career at Chloé, working on Phoebe Philo's team, before earning a master's degree at Central Saint Martins under Louise Wilson. After working at Alberta Ferretti and Strenesse in Milan, she returned to Chloé to work under Clare Waight Keller as design director from 2013 to 2016. In the same year, she joined Saint Laurent when Anthony Vaccarello took over as creative director of the Kering-owned brand, working closely with him as design director of women's ready-to-wear.

In a statement, Kamali said, "My heart has always been in Chloé. It has been since I walked through its doors more than 20 years ago. Coming back is natural and very personal."

Kamali, who starts today, has been widely rumored as Chloé's next director since the summer, when her predecessor Hearst's exit was announced.

Her appointment comes amid online outrage generated by last week's announcement that Seán McGirr would replace Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen, another white man joining the ranks of creative directors at luxury fashion brands in Paris and Milan. Karl Lagerfeld has served as creative director of Chloé for many years, but otherwise the fashion house has a long history of women at the helm, from Stella McCartney and Philo, to Hannah MacGibbon and Waight Keller, to Natacha Ramsay-Levi before Hearst. Many of their designs will be on display in the exhibition "Mood of the Moment: Gaby Aghion and the House of Chloé," which opens this week at the Jewish Museum in New York.

Kamali's first collection for the brand, for pre-fall 2024, will be presented in Paris in January, followed by its runway debut in February.