Gauthier Borsarello announces his departure from Fursac

Under Gauthier Borsarello’s creative direction, Fursac joined the Paris Fashion Week calendar. Over five years at the creative helm of the French menswear brand, the designer remained faithful to the label’s formal roots while setting a new tone.

Under the leadership of the vintage specialist and co-founder of L’étiquette magazine, the brand, which was still called De Fursac when he arrived and had just been taken over by the SMCP group, staged its first presentation for the spring/ summer 2023 season. Last January, Borsarello staged a catwalk show to present his vision for autumn/ winter 2025-2026. In mid-December, he announced his departure via his Instagram account.

“I would like to sincerely thank Daniel Lalonde, Elina Kousourna, Alix Le Naour, Evelyne Chetrite, and Judith Milgrom for the opportunity to work at Fursac five years ago as creative director. This chapter has been meaningful, both creatively and professionally. I am grateful for the trust, the exchanges, and the freedom to contribute to the evolution of the brand,” he says in a message dated December 12.

“I am particularly proud of the studio, design, image, and communications, and of what we have achieved together: bringing the brand onto the official Fashion Week calendar after just one season, and continuing this journey through to the Paris Fashion Week show in January 2025. Thank you for the experience, perspective, and relationships built along the way. I will carry them with me on my journey.”

In five years, the designer has introduced modernised silhouettes and strengthened Fursac’s casual wardrobe, with a heightened focus on fabric choices. He has also broadened his references, from inspirations drawn from football and surfing to a more cutting-edge creative universe centred on music and the arts, as in his SS25 presentation through work with artist Lionel Estève, whose work is exhibited at the Musée Picasso in Paris.

The group confirmed this decision to FashionNetwork.com. “The group’s studio teams have taken over and are currently working on finalising the FW 2026 collection,” notes Isabelle Guichot, SMCP’s chief executive.

The brand welcomed Louise Bousquet-Andreani as its managing director at the beginning of the year. For the time being, activity at its historic premises and boutique on the corner of Richelieu-Drouot, on the Grands Boulevards in Paris, has been put on hold, FashionNetwork observed.

“The Fursac teams at the rue Richelieu boutique have been temporarily redeployed to the brand’s other Parisian stores, notably for the end-of-year sales period. SMCP hopes to reopen the rue Richelieu boutique at the beginning of 2026”, explains Isabelle Guichot, who adds that “as part of the change of ownership of the building, SMCP has decided to bring Fursac’s head office teams into its offices in the 1st arrondissement of Paris.”

Along with Claudie Pierlot, Fursac is reported under the group’s Other Brands segment in SMCP’s published results. After revenue reached €167 million in 2023, this division declined to €148 million in 2024. In the first nine months of 2025, sales were stable compared with the previous year at €108 million, on group revenue of €895 million.

Following the completion of legal proceedings regarding the actions of its former shareholder, the group’s current majority shareholders announced their intention to sell their shares on November 27.