New Vision
The designer will make his official debut at the helm of the company with the spring 2020 collection.
Lutz Huelle talks exclusively to WWD about his plans as the new creative director at Spanish brand Delpozo.
MILAN — “It won't be about reinventing the brand,” said Lutz Huelle, during his first interview as the newly appointed creative director of Madrid-based luxury label Delpozo. “The most important thing for me is to preserve what made Delpozo so wonderful.”
As WWD exclusively reported last week, Spanish company Grupo Perfumes y Diseño, which has managed Delpozo's perfume license since 1992 and bought the whole fashion house in 2011, hired the German designer to succeed former creative director Josep Font, who exited the brand in September. Font was tapped in 2012 to revitalize the label, founded by Jesus Delpozo in 1974.
“We are very excited to start this new chapter with Lutz,” said Delpozo general manager Pablo Badia in a telephone interview. “We basically chose him because of his experience and skills, which he demonstrated with his own line.”
A Central Saint Martins graduate, Huelle cut his teeth at Maison Martin Margiela, which he joined in 1995 and where he became responsible for the development of the knitwear and Artisanal lines. In 2000, the German designer established his own brand, called Lutz, which was renamed Lutz Huelle in 2012. A recipient of the prestigious ANDAM Fashion Award in 2001, Huelle, who regularly shows his collection at Paris Fashion Week, developed a signature aesthetic based on the mix-and-match of out-of-context elements portraying a variety of identities.
“Delpozo is a brand that exists in its own world and people have an emotional connection with it,” said Huelle. “What we would like to do is to make it just a little bit more approachable, more real and suitable for the everyday life, not only for the red carpet.”
Developing a more “coherent and cohesive daywear wardrobe” is one of the company's biggest goals, as confirmed by Badia, who, however, highlighted that Delpozo won't renounce its evening, elegant appeal. “This new focus on daywear will be definitely key to expanding our business,” the Spanish executive said.
While Huelle will oversee the development of the fall 2019 collection, which will be unveiled during London Fashion Week with an intimate presentation, the designer's official debut at the helm of the luxury brand will be with the spring 2020 lineup. According to Huelle, this is expected to be unveiled in London with a runway show.
“I love London, I spent years studying and working there, I think it's a great location for Delpozo,” said Huelle, asked about the possibility to move the Delpozo show to Paris, the city where the designer lives and manages his own label.
According to Badia, Delpozo is focused on opening new markets, including China, as well as reinforcing its presence in Europe and in the U.S., where the label's collections are available at Bergdorf Goodman.
The luxury fashion house operates direct stores in Madrid and London, as well as a boutique at The Dubai Mall in the United Arab Emirates opened in collaboration with Chalhoub Group and three units in South Korea managed by local partner KLH International.