Simon James Spurr has been hired as the new global creative director for premium denim brand, 7 For All Mankind, the company said Tuesday.
7 For All Mankind, a division of Delta Galil Premium Brands, will celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2020 with the debut of the brand’s first collection under Spurr, who has previously worked with some of the industry’s top designers at Yves Saint Laurent, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger and his own men’s wear brand, SIMON SPURR.
“We are very excited to welcome such a strong and proven creative talent as Simon. He brings the perfect balance of relevant experience, entrepreneurial spirit and fashion vision to lead 7 For All Mankind into its third decade,” Tim Baxter, Delta Galil Premium Brands CEO, said in a statement. “Importantly, Simon also has a strong, directional perspective on how we can modernize the brand and position it for accelerated growth while sustaining our legacy as a premium denim brand.”
Spurr will come from Eidos, the men’s wear division of Isaia, where he also served as the brand’s creative director. Only 44 years old, Spurr has already accumulated more than 20 years in the fashion industry, starting his career under Hedi Slimane at Yves Saint Laurent. After working his way up the corporate ladder, Spurr decided to launch his own men’s wear brand, SIMON SPURR, in 2009.
SIMON SPURR launched with a collection of selvedge denim made in the USA, and the experience will undoubtedly assist Spurr as the creative director for 7 For All Mankind.
“I have long-admired 7 For All Mankind as a leader in the premium denim category and iconic brand that is beloved by consumers across generations,” Spurr said in a prepared statement. “I am excited to join the company and lead an incredible team of exceptional designers, as we look to expand the brand with new opportunities.”
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Spurr will not be the only new addition at 7 For All Mankind. In the same announcement, 7 For All Mankind revealed it would hire Margaret Maldonado, co-founder of L’Agence, a premium French denim brand for women as the senior design director of women’s ready-to-wear. Additionally, the brand announced the hiring of former Diesel brand director, Alessandra Pesavento, to handle the creative direction of product aimed at European consumers.
Both will report to Larissa Noble, 7 For All Mankind’s women’s design director, and Wes Austin, director of men’s wear design—who will then, in turn, report to Spurr at his headquarters in Los Angeles.
7 For All Mankind says that the hire was a result of a desire to take a “new, modern approach across classifications.” They believe Spurr will be able to create a vision that leads to the brand bridging the gap between modern denim and 7 for All Mankind’s reputation as a “heritage” brand.
The brand has made several moves to set itself apart in recent months—even before hiring Spurr to lead the creative direction of the brand. Its Fall ’18 campaign saw the company expand its sizing and marketing to appeal to a more diverse audience, lending more credence to the argument that 7 For All Mankind truly wants to become more modern and more approachable.