French fashion house Emanuel Ungaro has named 23-year-old Esteban Cortazar as head designer. The young Latino replaces Peter Dundas who left the label in July after three seasons.
"The brand needs some youth and he's got it; he knows what makes a chick tick," Mounir Moufarrige, Ungaro's chief executive officer, told FWD.
Cortazar debuted his first namesake collection in 2003, at the age of 18 in New York. He will now be based in Paris but will continue to commute between the two cities. A lot rides on the young designer, as expressed by Moufarrige: "God help me. He's the youngest designer at Ungaro and if I'm not mistaken, the youngest designer at any other house."
Then again, Moufarrige did appoint Stella McCartney to Chloé at the tender age of 24. And what will the new Ungaro woman be like? According to Cortazar... "[She's] someone who will wear an amazing couture-inspired mini dress but her hair will be messy and she'll wear unexpected shoes." I think I like him already...