Ackermann, in turn, was attracted by the “adventure”. A designer that is hard to pigeonhole, his CV includes a long stretch at the helm of his eponymous brand, a three-season stint as creative director of LVMH-owned Berluti, a guest slot designing Jean Paul Gaultier haute couture as part of its rotating designer programme, a red-hot collaboration with Fila, and an unexpected tie-up with beauty brand Augustinus Bader (on a reimagined container for its cult product The Cream).
“When [Canada Goose] approached me I was surprised,” he says. “But it’s always interesting to take the road that one does not expect. It’s challenging and it makes your heart beat faster. You want to learn. I’ve been very niche for so many years. Dressing many people on the street is thrilling for me.”
He adds that there was an appeal to Canada itself. “There’s so much peace and quietness about it.” This was reflected in the role: “They didn’t want to do a whole rebrand, which I was very seduced by.” He smiles and adds: “My life is a bit different now.”
It’s the only time during the interview that he subtly acknowledges his “other job”. In September, it was announced that Ackermann had joined Tom Ford as creative director with immediate effect, replacing Peter Hawkings, who held the role for less than a year. There is no indication that he will relinquish the Canada Goose position. He has some experience in working across two brands: the Jean Paul Gaultier and Fila opportunities overlapped, so each week, he would split his time between each. His first collection for Tom Ford will be presented during Paris Fashion Week in March. “I’m juggling again,” he says of his new dual role, but declines to say more.
Looking ahead, he has an eye on the opportunities for further category expansion and how to develop Canada Goose’s Spring/Summer offering; the brand recently introduced more lightweight styles suited for wetter and warmer climates, as well as foraying into footwear with a rain boot. “Canada Goose is very related to the winter, how do you make it relevant in summer? So there’s work to be done,” he says.
For now though, the focus is on the AW24 Snow Goose collection, which will be available online and in 20 Canada Goose stores globally.
Reiss describes Ackermann as a “true visionary”. “He has taken what Canada Goose is known for — authenticity, craftsmanship, performance — and expressed that in new and unexpected ways, all while still paying homage to the identity we’ve built over the last six decades.”
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