Big shake-up at Mugler—L’Oréal is switching things up.

The company just confirmed that Casey Cadwallader is out, and stepping in as the brand’s new creative director is Miguel Castro Freitas.

You might not know his name, but he’s got serious fashion cred, having worked behind the scenes at Dior, Dries Van Noten, and Sportmax. He officially takes over on April 1.

Cadwallader’s seven-year run at Mugler was nothing short of iconic. He gave the Parisian label a bold, New York-inspired edge—think fierce, futuristic glamour with an ultra-inclusive twist. His drag-ball-meets-Marvel-movie aesthetic made Mugler a go-to for performers and social media stars, especially during the pandemic. Remember Megan Thee Stallion and Cardi B’s W.A.P. video? That was him.

While other brands struggled to figure out how to show collections in lockdown, Mugler leaned all the way in—creating viral fashion films with creative duo Torso Solutions. The result? A brand that felt fresh, modern, and totally relevant when in-person runway shows made a comeback.

Mugler also landed on some signature looks, like the now-famous nude illusion catsuit that flattered all body types and those spiral-cut jeans that made the brand more accessible. L’Oréal, which took over Mugler from Clarins in 2019, was all in on the hype at first, with the buzz even boosting fragrance sales for classics like Angel and Alien. “The Mugler moment is now,” brand president Danièle Lahana-Aidenbaum told partners in 2023.

But as fashion started moving toward a more polished, timeless aesthetic—and the market slowed—L’Oréal seemed hesitant to go all in on the fashion side of things. The company, after all, hasn’t been in the apparel game since it owned Lanvin back in the ’90s. In 2023, managing director Pascal Conté-Jodra left and was replaced by Adrian Corsin. Then, last September, Mugler’s runway show took on a more refined, less pop-heavy feel—turns out, it was Cadwallader’s last. The brand even skipped Paris Fashion Week this season.

Now, all eyes are on Freitas. The Portuguese designer, a Central Saint Martins grad (class of ’04), got his start under John Galliano at Dior and went on to work at Yves Saint Laurent, Lanvin, and Dries Van Noten. More recently, he led Max Mara’s Sportmax label from 2021 to 2024.

L’Oréal is confident he’s the right fit. “Miguel lives and breathes the Mugler spirit,” Lahana-Aidenbaum said in a statement. Now, we wait to see what his Mugler will look like.