French label Iro appoints Nicolas Rohaut, whose impressive portfolio includes stints at high-profile houses Paco Rabanne and Dior, as its first Artistic director as it looks to sharpen its identity while maintaining accessible luxury in a competitive market.
“Having an artistic director with a background like Nicolas allows us to develop a stronger creative vision of the brand image and communications,” explained CEO Isolde Andouard, who sees this strategic move as crucial to the brand’s evolution. The label, which generates around 100 million euros in annual sales, is looking to sharpen its competitive edge while maintaining its current price positioning.
Rohaut brings a fresh perspective to the contemporary label founded in 2005 by Laurent and Arik Bitton. His expertise promises to enhance Iro’s signature rock-influenced aesthetic while introducing innovative elements. Rohaut shared that he was impressed with the quality of production at Iro, which has a 15-person workshop in Paris.
The new Artistic director plans to strengthen core elements such as leather goods, denim and knitwear, while developing exclusive prints. Having worked with industry luminaries such as Nicolas Di Felice during Raf Simons‘ tenure at Dior and under Julien Dossena at Rabanne, he is perfectly positioned to refresh Iro‘s creative direction.
Owned by the Chinese group Ellassay, Iro has a strong retail presence with 100 boutiques and over 600 points of sale worldwide. Rohaut’s first collection, scheduled for Cruise 2026 (Resort 2026), will debut this June, marking the beginning of an exciting chapter for the brand.
