LONDON — Joseph has a new creative director and he’s straight from the design studio of JW Anderson.
The London-based brand has named design veteran Mario Arena to the top creative role. His first Joseph collection will be for spring 2026, which is set to land in stores late next year.
Arena described the brand’s late founder Joseph Ettedgui as a “visionary who pushed the boundaries in design and retailing. The rich heritage and timeless design codes have always been an inspiration to me in my career. I look forward to bringing to life a new vision for this iconic brand.”
Joseph is a London institution known for its luxury wardrobe builders, such as cashmere knitwear, pants and tailoring.
The brand was founded as a multibrand concept store by the Casablanca-born Ettedgui in 1966. Seventeen years later, the Joseph in-house label was created to complement the designer brands hanging in the stores. The retailer at the time was among the hottest in town, known for Ettedgui’s keen eye for design. He also was one of the first retailers to install a restaurant in his store, which quickly became the “in” spot for London’s elite.
Joseph chief executive officer Barbara Campos called Arena a “highly talented creative who has a wealth of experience within contemporary luxury. I look forward to working with him as we enter this exciting new chapter.”
Arena has more than 30 years of experience in the design and development of luxury collections.
He was most recently at JW Anderson, where he was director of product and design for ready-to-wear, accessories and runway. Prior to that he served as director of design and innovation for rtw and accessories at Nanushka. He has also served as head of rtw at Christopher Kane.
Before working in-house with those brands, Arena had his own label called Enlist. He was also the founder and creative director of Arena International, a strategic design and trend studio where he collaborated with brands such as Celine and luxury fashion groups including LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton.
Arena will be based at Joseph’s newly created design department in southwest London. The office houses a newly appointed design team, atelier, product development and production teams all in the same building as the brand’s headquarters.
Arena succeeds husband-and-wife duo Anna Lundbäck Dyhr and Frederik Dyhr, who had served as co-creative directors since 2020.
They were based in Joseph’s former design studio and workshop in Paris, and departed after the brand made the move back to London.
The Dyhrs were art and architecture lovers and frequently drew on the works of Donald Judd, Richard Serra and Alexander Girard for their minimal, chic collections that blended the utilitarian with the feminine.
Previous designers at the brand have included Susan Clayton and Louise Trotter, who is now creative director of Carven. After leaving Joseph she joined Lacoste.
Arena is the latest industry draft from JW Anderson, the label founded by designer Jonathan Anderson whose studio has emerged as a go-to place for creative directors. JW Anderson alumni include Sean McGirr of Alexander McQueen; Adrian Appiolaza of Moschino, and Bruno Sialelli of Lanvin.
