The French brand Christian Dior is welcoming back a familiar face as it strengthens its leadership team under new creative director Jonathan Anderson. The French luxury house has appointed Michela Kalb as director of haute couture, women’s and men’s ready-to-wear, women’s footwear, and baby collections, marking an expansion of its senior design leadership.
Kalb, a Sardinian-born Italian executive with deep roots in the fashion industry, is no stranger to Dior. She first joined the house in 2006 and spent over a decade there as director of women’s ready-to-wear before moving to Louis Vuitton in the same role. She will now rejoin Dior’s management committee, reporting directly to the brand’s creative leadership.
Her appointment takes effect October 1, the same day Jonathan Anderson is set to show his debut women’s ready-to-wear collection at Paris Fashion Week. Industry observers see Kalb as Anderson’s “right hand,” responsible for coordinating the creative vision across multiple categories and ensuring smooth alignment from design through to retail.
“I’m delighted that Michela and Dior’s paths are crossing again,” said Delphine Arnault, CEO of Christian Dior. “I am convinced that she will draw on her vision and knowledge of the house, as well as her extensive product expertise, to develop ever more desirable collections in close collaboration with the creative direction.”
Kalb brings over 30 years of experience to the role. After earning a degree in business administration from Bocconi University in Milan, she began her career at La Rinascente in 1993, overseeing women’s ready-to-wear buying. She later joined Prada, rising to merchandising manager for both Prada and Miu Miu before relocating to Paris.
Her return to Dior signals the house’s commitment to combining institutional knowledge with global expertise as it embarks on a new creative chapter. With Anderson’s first collection on the horizon and Kalb’s appointment reinforcing the design studio, Dior is setting the stage for a powerful new era in haute couture and ready-to-wear.
