Marcelo Burlon, the multifaceted founder of the County of Milan, has announced his resignation from his role as creative director, a position he has held since the brand’s inception in 2012. The announcement was made by the brand’s parent company, New Guards Group.
Starting as a modest T-shirt project, Burlon’s brand quickly evolved into a full-fledged fashion label, renowned for its unique blend of techno-folk aesthetics and deep roots in Burlon’s Argentinean heritage from Patagonia. His leadership saw the brand gain critical acclaim, notably as a guest designer at Pitti Uomo in 2014, which solidified his status in the men’s fashion arena.
In 2015, Burlon expanded his influence by co-founding the Milan-based New Guards Group with partners Davide De Giglio and Claudio Antonioli, a consortium that was later acquired by Farfetch in 2017. Under Burlon’s creative direction, County of Milan celebrated its 10th anniversary with a landmark show at Milan Fashion Week in 2022, held at the historic Velodromo Vigorelli.
The departure comes amid uncertain times for New Guards Group following Farfetch’s recent financial rescue by Coupang. Style Capital has shown interest in acquiring New Guards Group, though no agreement has been finalized.
Beyond fashion, Burlon has been actively involved in charitable activities through his foundation, Fondazione Marcelo Burlon, which supports disadvantaged individuals and marginalized communities. His philanthropic efforts include support for Casa Marcella in Tuscany and initiatives for Ukrainian refugees in Milan.
Burlon, who now divides his time between Ibiza and his native Patagonia, continues to engage in various projects, including a mezcal brand and a padel club in Argentina. His home in Ibiza, nestled among olive trees, doubles as an art sanctuary featuring pieces by notable artists such as Keith Haring and Damien Hirst.
Following Burlon’s resignation, the design responsibilities at County of Milan will be managed by the brand’s internal team, according to New Guards Group.
Burlon took to Instagram to share: Today is an important day, full of mixed feelings. It was an incredible journey, where I grew as a person through County Of Milan. It led me to meet and share this adventure with incredible people that I will always carry with me. I can’t list them all but you know who you are. They have been 12 years full of love, I believe that together we have written an important chapter not only in our lives but we have marked the lives of many other people. Creating a brand is not easy, especially when you are not a designer and the fashion system doesn’t accept you, until you start selling like crazy and your clothes are everywhere, and again the hype goes down and everyone disappear, but at the end of the game only one thing remains, the magic! – LOVE, Marcelo.
Marcelo Burlon leaves behind a legacy of innovation and artistic fusion that has significantly impacted the landscape of contemporary fashion. His future endeavors remain highly anticipated by both the fashion and art communities.
RELATED: DSCENE Interview with Marcelo Burlon
