Kim Jones is stepping down from Christian Dior menswear after seven years – prompting speculation that he will soon be named in the top job of Burberry.

The British designer has been with Dior since 2018. Until October, he was also artistic director at Fendi, a role he took on after Karl Lagerfeld’s death in 2020. The fact that he has stepped back from both jobs suggests the designer is in a position to announce his next move.

1Granary, a fashion insider Instagram account, posted the news with the caption: “Rumours whisper Burberry.”

If Jones does join Burberry, it will mean a reshuffle at the top of luxury. Daniel Lee, Burberry’s chief creative officer, has struggled at the brand since joining from Bottega Veneta in 2022. It has been suggested that he may be moving to Jil Sander, after the departure of joint creative directors Luke and Lucie Meier after their final show in Milan this February.

Asked by Fashion Network about who was next at the brand, owner Renzo Rosso said: “We have found a great star designer for Jil. But I won’t say who.”

Then there is also the vacant seat at Dior menswear. It has been suggested that JW Anderson, who has turned Spanish brand Loewe into a big hitter since he took over in 2013, could move to Dior, an idea bolstered by the fact that both brands are owned by the same conglomerate, LVMH.

Nevertheless, Anderson would probably want to design both men’s and womenswear as he does at Loewe, meaning Dior would also have to part ways with Maria Grazia Chiuri, who has designed womenswear there since 2016.

This may yet happen – prompted in part by slowing sales at Dior. According to WWD, a report from HSBC this month judged the brand to be “a bit stale and repetitive”, with Grazia Chuiri “under more pressure” than Jones. The report named Anderson as a potential successor.

Jones is known for his ability to fuse artistic inspirations with streetwear, and turn these influences into successful collections, worn by his coterie of superstar friends, from Kate Moss to Travis Scott. Collaborations – whether with Scott’s label Cactus Jack or Nike – are a big part of this, creating ultra-desirable limited edition items. The Guardian suggested in 2020 that the Dior x Nike Air Jordan, priced at £1,800, might be “the most-wanted trainers of all time”. Under Jones, the Business of Fashion reported that Dior’s menswear grew roughly five times to more than €1.2bn (£1bn) between 2018 and 2023.

Burberry’s fortunes have been rocky under Lee, with two profit warnings issued in 2024. In July, CEO Jonathan Akeroyd was replaced by Joshua Schulman, who had had success at US brand Coach. Since then, figures have been better – with only a 4% drop in sales over Christmas rather than the 12% expected. Analysts at RBC said the relatively positive results were a “first (and early) step in the right direction”. Installing Jones may be the next one.

In a statement announcing his departure from Dior, Jones said: “It was a true honour to have been able to create my collections within the House of Dior, a symbol of absolute excellence … I feel sincere gratitude towards Bernard and Delphine Arnault, who have given me their full support.”

Delphine Arnault, who is CEO of Dior Couture, said: “I am extremely grateful for the remarkable work done by Kim Jones … With all his talent and creativity, he has constantly reinterpreted the house’s heritage.”