Carven part ways with design director mark thomas

Mark Thomas is departing Carven after a brief but impactful tenure, signaling another shift for the French heritage house.

Mark thomas leaves carven after 3 years

The designer, who joined in 2023 and was promoted to design director in March 2025, will leave at the end of the month to pursue new opportunities. The announcement comes just three seasons after Thomas took the helm, succeeding Louise Trotter.

Carven, a brand with a storied history dating back to 1945, has seen a revolving door of creative directors in recent years. Thomas’s appointment marked a return to a more wearable, sophisticated aesthetic reminiscent of his work with Trotter at Joseph and Lacoste. His Spring/Summer 2026 show, held at the brand’s headquarters, was widely praised for its continuation of this design language.

“There’s no need to break what’s starting to work. We just need to build on top of that,” Thomas told Vogue prior to his first show. Vogue Runway’s Amy Verner noted that his sophomore show at the Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers felt “certainly something more assured,” highlighting tank dresses and utilitarian-inspired coats as contemporary echoes of Carolyn Bessette Kennedy’s style.

The brand, owned by China’s ICCF Group (formerly Icicle Group), filed for bankruptcy in early 2018. The move to promote from within suggests a desire for stability after a period of creative transition. The next steps for Carven will be revealed later this year, with its next show scheduled for Spring/Summer 2027.

Thomas expressed gratitude to the brand’s leadership, including CEO Shawna Tao and ICCF Group president Ye, and paid tribute to Madame Carven, the founder of the house. His departure leaves Carven at a pivotal moment as it navigates its next chapter.