Maiyet, the artisanal luxury brand started in 2010 by Paul van Zyl, the human rights lawyer and former executive secretary of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of South Africa, has named its first creative director: Declan Kearney, former design director at Alexander Wang. He will be responsible for all ready-to-wear and accessories, as well as advertising campaigns and “brand imagery.”The move signals Maiyet’s acknowledgment that, while it has become known for its social principles — sourcing goods from communities in developing countries like India and Colombia to help create sustainable businesses — it needs to focus on honing its fashion principles.“We are at a crucial juncture,” said Mr. van Zyl, explaining why Maiyet felt it needed a “24/7” designer.

The brand now has 34 wholesale accounts, including the trinity of Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman and Barneys, and it expects to reach 60 by the end of the year. “It’s a response to the growth,” he said, “and a way to expand our reach.”Kristy Caylor, the brand’s co-founder and president, and formerly the designer in charge of the (RED) divisions of Gap, had been acting as Maiyet’s designer. She will now focus on growth and strategy.Maiyet actually hired Mr. Kearney, 40, a veteran of Jason Wu, Calvin Klein and Roberto Cavalli’s ateliers, in December, but it did not tell anyone. “I wanted to get my head around the brand” before expectations were raised, Mr. Kearney said.

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Now that Mr. Kearney’s resort collection is well underway, the brand decided it was time for the big reveal.“People will see a shift in the way the brand looks,” Mr. Kearney said, and they might as well understand why.What kind of shift? “It’s about the fusion between the mechanical and modern and the artisanal,” he said, adding that his goal is: “Real, honest clothes that are a mix of American sportswear classics and souvenirs from around the world. I’m very inspired by New York, and what women wear on the subway.”To this end, a denim line is planned, as are T-shirts (done “the Maiyet way”). And increased attention will be given to high-growth categories such as shoes and bags. Though Maiyet has offered accessories in the past, especially a well-received jewelry line, it had very little critical impact.

Watching the brand since its first show in 2011, my feeling was always: beautiful materials (especially the silks, made in Varanasi, India); beautiful mission; clothes — kind of blah. Not bad, you understand, but lacking the unique identity that is a product of original cut and creative consciousness, and that makes a consumer sit up and desire, or want to actually wear the dress or top or trousers instead of hang them on the wall to admire the batik.Presumably, I was not the only one, as Mr. van Zyl began looking for a dedicated creative director six months ago. Mr. Kearney was one of six or seven serious candidates, Mr. van Zyl said, and his presentation “was breathtaking.”(Interestingly, Mr. Kearney is the second member of Mr. Wang’s team to have been head-hunted to become creative director at an ethical fashion line; Danielle Sherman, Edun’s designer, was a former design director at T by Alexander Wang.)“We wanted someone with major brand experience,” Mr. van Zyl said, “technical abilities, especially when it came to tailoring; a sense of print and pattern; and someone who shared our values and saw the creative possibilities of working with artisans.”“He drew things like a pattern maker,” he continued, “as well as a designer.”Though he doesn’t have Mr. van Zyl’s or Ms. Caylor’s activist background, Mr. Kearney fulfilled all the other requirements.He learned his trade while growing up in Northern Ireland — “I think I sewed my first pair of jeans at 14,” he said — went to the University of Ulster in Belfast, and spent a year at Central Saint Martins after an internship at the cutting-edge British couture brand Boudicca.

While young designers increasingly work on computers, Mr. Kearney is still a proponent of the hands-on approach.“I remember my grandmother knitting Aran sweaters, but my mother and sister don’t really do that,” he said. “So many skills have been lost. But a fabric can’t just exist as a swatch.”Mr. van Zyl agrees. “It only works if people wear the clothes,” he said.The response to the resort collection, unveiled in June, will be the first test.

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