J.M. Weston to welcome Olivier Saillard as new creative director

French fashion historian/curator Olivier Saillard will join the luxury footwear label next January. After a seven-year stint planning and piloting the revival of Paris's Palais Galliéra fashion museum (which reopened in 2013) and overseeing exhibitions at the space thereafter, Saillard will turn his attention to J.M. Weston's creative direction where he will focus on shaping the brand's image and culture.

In January 2018, Olivier Saillard will succeed Michel Perry who has been at the helm of J.M. Weston since 2001, taking up the top job of Creative, Image and Culture Director.

As a figurehead of the Parisian cultural scene, during his career at Palais Galliera, Saillard organized 28 fashion exhibitions including "Balenciaga l'Oeuvre au Noir," and Jean Lanvin and Madame Grès retrospectives.

In addition to enriching Palais Galliera's temporary collections with the help of the Vogue Paris Association, Saillard will be remembered for orchestrating the second wave of renovation work, (sponsored by Chanel) that the museum is due to undergo with a view to welcoming its first permanent collections at the end of 2019.

Meanwhile J.M. Weston -- a very French brand, depsite the deceptive English name -- has been busy reinventing itself. Established in 1891 by Edouard Blanchard and trademarked in 1922 by the founder's son Eugene Blanchard and a certain Mr Viard, the luxury shoemaker is slowly, but surely remerging as a sought-after brand among millennial fashion circles. Recent drops of limited Yves Klein edition moccasins and sneakers (in homage to the blue monochrome-loving artist), have illustrated a step in a new, arty direction for the brand.

Last month it served up a widely-buzzed about capsule of tennis-ready styles to tie in with the French Open. It also has a presence in Le Bon Marché's new online shopping platform -- 24sevres.com where shoppers can now buy exclusively designed women's versions of the Moc' Weston, based on the iconic '180' loafer (€475), from a selection of curated luxury apparel, leather goods, accessories and beauty products.