Designers Switching Houses & Moving to New Brands

[Deleted member 119799]

Kim Jones' move to Versace is taking shape


By Dominique Muret - 20 October 2017
After several rumour-filled months, Versace may be about to reveal the name of its new creative director. After Riccardo Tisci left Givenchy last February, social media has been aflame with the wildest speculations, in turn betting on a move to the Italian label by Tisci himself, by Olivier Rousteing, Virgil Abloh, and finally Kim Jones. According to information we have received, the latter now seems the most likely candidate for Versace's top creative job.


Kim Jones - louisvuitton.com

Kim Jones is well-known for his couture streetwear and is in charge of men's fashion at Louis Vuitton since 2011. He succeeded in bringing a breath of fresh air to the label, skilfully jettisoning its formal tone and giving it a more directional identity. Until now, he has never worked on women's ready-to-wear, but his career progression has been spotless ever since he left school in the early 2000s.

Contacted by FashionNetwork.com, Versace has not confirmed the information, calling it a "rumour". Yet, according to an internal source, Donatella Versace may well be ready to welcome and bring to the fore a new creative director, having herself been in charge of style for 20 years after the death of her brother Gianni, the Italian luxury label's founder.

On the other hand, a certain nervousness is filtering through from Louis Vuitton's menswear atelier. According to a source close to Kim Jones, the designer may well be willing to move to Milan, though he would first have to sever his contract with Louis Vuitton, which was renewed last year.

“There’s no comment to make. This is just speculation. Kim Jones is under contract,” a Louis Vuitton spokesperson told FashionNetwork.com, noting that rumours were also swirling around womenswear creative director Nicolas Ghesquière not so long ago, “and he is still here!”

Kim Jones is a cosmopolitan designer and art lover, born in London in 1979. He has a Menswear MA from London's Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design. His graduation show won high praise within the press and the industry, and John Galliano bought part of it. In 2003, he was admitted to the London Fashion Week with his menswear label, showing a blend of street style and sport fashion.

While still working on his own label - which he terminated a few years later - Kim Jones was also ultra-busy on a series of collaborations with Umbro, Hugo Boss, Topman and Iceberg. He was honoured at the British Fashion Awards several times, and also worked for Alexander McQueen before being called up in 2008 by Dunhill, where he became creative director, until he joined Louis Vuitton in 2011.

Since he was a small child, Jones has been a globetrotter, following his family in Ecuador, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana and the Caribbean. He is nomadic and curious about the world, and has always drawn inspiration from his countless travels and exotic experiences to create his collections.

The Versace family holds an 80% stake in the eponymous label, and US investment fund Blackstone owns the remaining 20%. Versace is led since last year by Jonathan Akeroyd, and closed 2016 with a net loss of €7.4 million and a revenue growth of 3.7%, reaching €668.7 million.

fashionnetwork.com

 

[vetements]

^^^
Wow quite a bold move, but why not, maybe they will create some fireworks together.

 

[Jay Lee]

Kris Van Assche posted several Instagram stories of himself at Foundation Louis Vuitton and on the same day Kim Jones posted on Instagram that he was at a meeting.

Could KVA be replacing Kim at LV? It would make sense since Kris just had his 10th anniversary at Dior and he may want a change.

 

[Lola701]

So the guy renewed his contract last year and they are still making speculation on "when he will arrive at Versace"?

Every designer sign a non-competition agreement in this type of situation so even if Kim Jones wants to go to Versace, Versace has to pay an excessive amount of money to get it out of his contract...something that seems impossible.

Riccardo left Givenchy in January so, we'll have to wait until February to have some updates on his situation.
Kim renewed his contract with Vuitton last year so, it could be a 3/4 years contract.
Nicolas's contract will expire in September 2018 i believe.

The only thing possible at LVMH right now could be a move in the group itself.

I don't think KVA would leave Dior now. The house is trying to recover from the revolving doors and the menswear is stable right now. From a strategic point of view, it's safe for them to have him there....But then, they can decide to not renew his contract when it expire.

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ It seems like no one is signing (or maybe it's more likely offering) more than a 3-year contract lately? But that's 2 more years, a looong time in fashion ...

 

[MagFan]

Mugler

Out: David Koma
In: Casey Cadwallader

After four years at the helm, David Koma is stepping down from his position at Mugler. His replacement is American designer Casey Cadwallader. Doesn’t ring a bell? That’s because Cadwallader has spent most of his career behind the scenes. After graduating from Cornell University with a degree in architecture, he worked at TSE, Narciso Rodriguez, Loewe, and J. Mendel before returning to Narciso Rodriguez to become design director for women’s ready-to-wear and accessories. In 2015, he was appointed design director of Acne Studios’s pre-collections, a position he held until being named creative director of Mugler.It’s likely that Cadwallader’s Mugler will look markedly different than that of his predecessor. During the tenure of the label’s founder, Thierry Mugler, the brand stood for a techno-sexuality, embodied by cinched waists, a haute irreverence, and bold architectural curves. In recent memory, first under Nicola Formichetti and then Koma, Mugler became a mainstay of the after-dark scene, the place to shop for slinky, strong separates for a night out. If Cadwallader’s résumé and Instagram page, which is flooded with images of fine art, are any indication, the designer has an architect’s precision paired with a softer, more organic feel.
“The Clarins Group is very happy to welcome Casey Cadwallader to Mugler,” said Sandrine Groslier, president of the Clarins Fragrance Group, Mugler Fashion and Fragrance, in a release. “His determination and unique sensitivity to Mugler’s artistic and experimental heritage will enable us to pursue the renewal of the house in the long term. We are confident that his personal vision and talent will position Mugler among the most sought-after avant-garde fashion brands of today.”

vogue.com

 

[christian zh]

^ No way... I loved Koma at Mugler so much!

 

[eugenius]

Isn't there a famous movie quote about "Stop trying to make Mugler happen?"..or something like that?

 

[Lola701]

It's a real pity! Koma was great for Mugler...

Maybe Clarins should stop to try to make this happen. They are doing fine with the perfume. Mugler should only be a beauty brand and if they want their fashion thing, it will be better for them to invest in a new hot designer and have a contract similar to Stella and Kering.

 

[dodencebt]

Phoebe Philo is OUT of Celine.

 

[thatsfierce]

Didn't Koma leave Mugler... wow. Truly sad, same as Phoebe.

 

[kenndale]

Moncler has parted ways with Thom Browne, closing Gamme Rouge and Bleu.

 

[Nymphaea]

DvF in: Nathan Jenden

 

[mathiaskatz]

^what was the point? Jeez...

 

[readings]

I know it's old news (and everybody knew it was going to happen) but ahhhh Philo out of Céline. How sad.

 

[mathiaskatz]

Guess what ❓ Designer Simone Porte Jacquemus (@jacquemus) talks about a #NewJob... It might be the creative direction of a big fashion house Any ideas?
-
#MFFashion #MFFashioNews #Jacquemus #SimonePorteJacquemus #Fashion #CreativeDirector

Jacquemus to Celine?

 

[Ed..]

Kim Jones leaving LV.
https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/news-analysis/kim-jones-to-exit-louis-vuitton

 

[RedSmokeRise]

Well, yikes if Jacquemus is indeed going to Celine.

 

[vetements]

Kim Jones leaving LV.
https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/news-analysis/kim-jones-to-exit-louis-vuitton

what a bummer, at least Jones made LV mens relevant again. And that street vibes that was mentioned in the article is "fresh", although mostly just gentrified street clothings, it created a position for LV in the tough mens market.

and again, i cant help but want to compare it to the boring but somehow never will go away Dior Homme"s KVA.

 

[Lola701]

Kim did a really wonderful job for Louis Vuitton. With him, the menswear became really an interesting and relevant thing for Vuitton.
He invented the menswear fashion at Vuitton for me.

2018 is going to be an interesting year for Vuitton. Kim is leaving, Nicolas's contract end this year....

I hope they are not going to give the menswear to Virgil Abloh. They need a strong voice, not a Raf Simons fan.

I still not get how KVA is still at Dior...Really!