“I am honoured and delighted to be joining Burberry as its new Chief Creative Officer,” Riccardo Tisci announced via statement from the house today, as it was confirmed he would replace Christopher Bailey at the British heritage brand.

Rumours had been rife since Bailey announced his departure after 17 years – with names like Phoebe Philo and Kim Jones, formerly of Celine and Louis Vuitton respectively, seemingly “in the race”; Riccardo, who left Givenchy after 12 years just last month, will come as a surprise to many.

“Riccardo is one of the most talented designers of our time,” Burberry’s CEO Marco Gobbetti adds. “His designs have an elegance that is contemporary and his skill in blending streetwear with high fashion is highly relevant to today’s luxury consumer. Riccardo’s creative vision will reinforce the ambitions we have for Burberry and position the brand firmly in luxury.” We’re pretty excited for what’s to come next, naturally.