Hermès Designer Lemaire Resigns to Focus on Own Label *Update* Nadège Vanhee Hired

[HeatherAnne]

Bummer for Hermès, I really liked what he did for the house, who will be their next designer?

Hermès Designer Lemaire Resigns to Focus on Own Label

PARIS—French luxury-goods house Monday said designer Christophe Lemaire resigned to focus on his own label, reflecting the strain on designers who balance their commitments among multiple houses.

Hermès said Mr. Lemaire, who has designed women's clothing for Hermès for four years, will step down after the October fashion show. Hermès didn't name a replacement.

"My own label is growing in an important way, and I now really want and need to dedicate myself to it fully," Mr. Lemaire said in a statement.

Many designers split their time between their own small label and working for a bigger house. Dior designer Raf Simons and Bottega Veneta's Tomas Maier are two high-profile designers who have helmed two brands for several years.

Yet fashion's biggest houses increasingly show a preference for designers who don't come with other commitments. Louis Vuitton last year replaced Marc Jacobs, who split his time between Paris and New York where he has his own fashion label, with Nicolas Ghesquière. Mr. Ghesquière works full time at the luxury-goods house.

The demands on designers became cause for concern after Alexander McQueen committed suicide four years ago and Dior's former designer John Galliano attributed his drug and alcohol addictions to work pressure.

In addition to clothing, Hermès is also famous for its leather bags and silk scarves, which are under different creative direction. Yet clothing is one of its most visible product lines thanks to its runway shows during Paris Fashion Week. Mr. Lemaire brought an austere but luxurious aesthetic to the house, such as the crocodile skin tunic and an astrakhan skirt that featured in his March show.

online.wsj.com

 

[Thefrenchy]

NO, NO, NO, NO, NO! This news really saddens me What he did for the house of Hermès was exquisite and made me pay attention again to their womenswear. I hope they find someone as good as him.

 

[TREVOFASHIONISTO]

this is very unexpected

 

[miguelalmeida]

He made Hermès really exquisite and luxurious, like no one ever did or will, very sad news!
And I know for sure his replacement won't be as good as Christophe, all his collections like TheFrenchy, made me take notice of the brand once again, I'm very disappointed at Christophe for quitting like this, when he knows everyone was loving his work for the house.

 

[xsquared]

This game of musical fashion houses is just getting more and more depressing.

 

[GivenchyHomme]

Good for him. He should focus his energy and talents to his own brand. I don't blame him for wanting to leave.

 

[Creative]

WOW, just WOW. Not by his resign, but for the fact the there's no season without an important change happening. It's just incredible.

I now wonder who'll be the next designer. I think they will go for a low-profile, almost unknown one... Although I'd love to see Alaïa working for them. He would never do it, though.

 

[Chanelcouture09]

I wasn't overly impressed with his collections, I still miss Jean Paul Gaultier at the house - although I am still surprised by Lemaire's exit.

 

[Illithid Dude]

I hope they bring a total unknown in. The fashion industry desperately needs new blood right now.

 

[HeatherAnne]

Christophe Lemaire to Leave Hermes; Axel Dumas Faces His First Real Test

By VANESSA FRIEDMAN

More fashion musical chairs! The Hermés women’s wear designer Christophe Lemaire is leaving “to dedicate myself fully” to his own line. The show in October will be his last.

Anyway, the news comes at an interesting time: Hermés just released its results for the first half of 2014 and ready-to-wear and accessories were up 16 percent — more than leather goods or silks (granted, it was starting at a lower level, but still). That raises the question: Will the fashion house continue to invest in women’s wear, or pull back?

This will be the first real test of Axel Dumas, the chief executive who took the reins earlier this year, and his strategic plans for the brand.
Although Hermés is still widely known as a leather goods and silks brand, Mr. Lemaire’s recent shows had been well-received, and he was quietly carving out a convincing style for the luxury name, focused on extraordinary materials and style over fashion.

It came as a sort of antidote to the much more showy work of Jean Paul Gaultier, who had been hired by the former chief executive, Jean-Louis Dumas. Despite being at the brand seven years, from 2003 to 2010, Mr. Gaultier never seemed entirely comfortable with Hermés’s understated approach as defined by its first catwalk designer, Martin Margiela (1997-2003), who was famous for setting his shows to the murmured conversation of women.

Though the “leaving to concentrate on his own brand” line can be interpreted in many ways — some good, some less so — it seems to be genuine in this case. Hermés, however, isn’t saying much about what happens next.

To be specific, Mr. Dumas said: “I am very grateful to Christophe for the passion with which he has addressed and enriched the expression of our house in women’s ready-to-wear. Under his artistic direction the métier has renewed its aesthetic and produced very satisfactory financial results. I wish him the greatest success with his own label which is so close to his heart.”

Nice — and bland.

So will Mr. Dumas follow his late uncle’s strategy and go for a big name, who will bring buzz and global notoriety (and potentially higher costs) to the Hermés shows? Will he take a step back, and go for someone less famous, who might be humbler in the face of the house’s heritage? Will he pull back from women’s wear entirely?

And will LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, which owns 23 percent of the shares but thus far has been a seemingly silent investor, have any say in the matter?

All possibilities are on the table. It’s always a big deal when a major house changes designers, but I’d say this is a particularly big one. Not just because Hermés is such a feted name but because what it does next — demonstrate a belief in the power of the Fashion Show (yes, capital letters intended) as a marketing tool or not — could influence the whole industry.
No pressure there, then. Young designers, start your lobbying.

nytimes

 

[VogueDisciple93]

He will be missed.

 

[Wolkfolk]

He was more than perfect for the brand.
The esthetic he established in just a few seasons embodied perfectly French elegance at its purest. Exactly what Hermès should be and it always felt so refreshing to finih fashion week with his amazing work. I'm not mad at him for wanting to focus on his own brand since it's one of the best brands at the moment. Yet this is very unexpected and happens way too soon. I'm really sad and I really don't see who could replace him.

 

[iclawhands]

Could designers please just like, stay-put for five seconds?! Geez.

 

[Morphe]

Nooooo he was perfect for Hermes!

 

[Scott]

it's unfortunate because this era of hermes is by far the best i've seen since margiela. but since we all seem to love his label round here and it is pretty admired in general,perhaps putting 100% of his attention and energy into it,could make it even stronger. personally,i commend this decision...one because he's leaving on his own terms but also,frankly,i'm getting bored with all this concentration on the houses and the fact they've sucked up what little individuality that remains these days. so much so that i feel it's created an even more narrow tunnel. we need more focus to be put back onto individual talents and labels again....

 

[dior_couture1245]

I wasn't overly impressed with his collections, I still miss Jean Paul Gaultier at the house - although I am still surprised by Lemaire's exit.

I'd have to agree with this comment.

While Lemaire certainly created some really gorgeous collections for Hermes, there was never enough personality to his clothes or to his collections. I always felt like his shows and collections for Hermes were pretty forgettable.

I will always love most Gaultier's work for Hermes. While there were several collections that weren't particularly remarkable and perhaps a little silly - on the whole, I find that Gaultier was able to capture PERFECTLY the spirit of Hermes. Ultimate, unparalleled French luxury and ease, worldly, but fabulously charming and everything done with a smile and a wink. I never got that same charm from Lemaire's collections.

 

[Marc10]

Sad face. Lemaire at Hermès was really one of the best things going on in fashion in recent times. His take on the nonchalant French luxury was sublime, indeed the best for the house since Margiela. However, I have to say that i've been loving his own stuff as much (or even more) than his Hermès stuff. So I guess that's a nice silver lining!

As for the new designer... gosh, how great would be Bouchra Jarrar!?

 

[yesitsdagny]

Bad news for Hermes. He really brought a lot to the brand. But I wish him lots of luck for his upcoming projects

 

[valliaddict]

As for the new designer... gosh, how great would be Bouchra Jarrar!?

I love the sound of that! I'm already on board.

 

[MyNameIs]

Ah, I really liked what we saw from Hermes the last few seasons. Wish him the best of luck.