Fashion career profile
Christophe Lemaire
Christophe Lemaire is a French fashion designer who founded his namesake label in 1991. After working in Parisian studios, he led the artistic direction of Lacoste from 2001 and later Hermès women’s ready-to-wear; he left Hermès in 2014 and refocused on his own house. Sarah-Linh Tran joined LEMAIRE as co-artistic director in 2010, and the two now lead the house together. Lemaire also co-directed UNIQLO U with Tran and the Paris research and development team for a decade. The Fall/Winter 2026 collection was their last for the project, after which UNIQLO’s Paris team was to continue the line. That makes the UNIQLO U role historical rather than current. Lemaire’s design language is associated with functional, modular clothing, careful materials and a restrained approach to everyday dressing. His profile distinguishes the continuing leadership of LEMAIRE from the concluded project role and records the two separately in his career history.
- Role
- Founder and Co-Artistic Director, LEMAIRE
- Nationality
- French
- Age
- 61
- Career appointments
- 4
- Fashion houses
- 3
- Active roles
- 2
- SKIMS Enlists Supreme Veteran & Lemaire Designer Duo Exits Uniqlo U in This Week's Top Fashion NewsHypebeast Fashion · 2026-08-28
- What Is Uniqlo U Without the Lemaire Duo?Hypebeast Fashion · 2026-08-27
- Christophe Lemaire and Sarah-Linh Tran Mark Decade-Long UNIQLO U Partnership With 10th Anniversary CapsuleHypebeast Fashion · 2026-08-24
- Founded LEMAIRE: 1991Lemaire established his eponymous fashion label in Paris. · LEMAIRE
- Hermès: Artistic Director, women’s ready-to-wear, 2010–2014His remit at Hermès concerned womenswear rather than the entire house. · Vogue France
- UNIQLO U: Co-Artistic Director, 2016–2026The Fall/Winter 2026 season is explicitly identified as the team’s final collection. · UNIQLO
- LEMAIRE: Co-led with Sarah-Linh TranTran joined the house as co-artistic director in 2010. · LEMAIRE
- 1991 — Founds his eponymous labelThe Paris house now led with Sarah-Linh Tran begins.
- 2001 — Takes artistic direction at LacosteLemaire moves into house-level creative leadership after developing his label.
- 2010 — Appointed to Hermès womenswearHe assumes artistic direction of women’s ready-to-wear.
- 2016 — Begins UNIQLO U partnershipHe and Sarah-Linh Tran co-direct the project with UNIQLO’s Paris R&D team.
- 2026 — Completes final UNIQLO U collectionThe Fall/Winter 2026 collection is described as the team’s last before handover.
- 2010–Present — Artistic Co-Director — LemaireCurrent appointment · Le Monde
- 1991–Present — Founder — LemaireCurrent appointment · LEMAIRE
- 2016–2026 — Co-Artistic Director, UNIQLO U — UNIQLOHistorical appointment · UNIQLO
- 2010–2014 — Artistic Director, Women’s Ready-to-Wear — HermèsHistorical appointment · Vogue France