Michael and Nicole Colovos exiting Helmut Lang

[Thefrenchy]

After eight years of handling the artistic control at Helmut Lang, creative directors Michael and Nicole Colovos have exited the company.

The firm does not expect to name a successor for a few months.

Andrew Rosen, chief executive officer of Helmut Lang and Theory, said, “I want to extend my sincere thanks to Michael and Nicole for their commitment to the house and its successful evolution into a leading force in the contemporary marketplace. I am confident in their future and wish them all the best.”

The Colovoses said, “We are grateful for the opportunity that Andrew gave us to reestablish Helmut Lang. We will always have a deep affection for the brand.”

Helmut Lang will develop its pre-spring 2015 collection with the existing design team. In hindsight, the title of the Colovos-designed fall collection may have been ominous. They called it “Rough Terrain.”

- source: WWD.COM

 

[HeatherAnne]

Several members called for their heads in the F/W 14.15 thread, and you can count me in as someone who is not sad to see them go.

 

[dior_couture1245]

Let's hope they can pull someone in who can bring Helmut Lang back to some of it's original values and re-establish Helmut as THE coolest brand around. What it's become under these two block heads is some sad, soulless poor man's Rick Owens Dark Shadows. Not sad to see them go AT ALL.

 

[VogueDisciple93]

*shrugs* BYE

 

[Psylocke]

It's the right moment for them to depart, IMO. I liked what they did, but they were getting more and more repetitive and their last few collections were just awkward failures at being at least a little more high fashion. I'm not sure who I would want to see as the new designer, but I guess it shouldn't be hard to find someone who can keep doing what Michael and Nicole Colovos did.

 

[krncandi]

Bye bye!! farewell! ta-ta!! Ciao!....Shoo!!

 

[vandekamp]

Finally.

 

[ultramarine]

I visited the Lang store in LA last year and I was appalled of the pieces I saw .. twas like old school GAP, HL needs to revive, now with brands doing ACES jobs tapping on new talent, I want to see this house come to something amazing. I remember back in the day when his stuff was IT.

 

[Marc10]

I wouldn't go far as calling their work there disastrous, but they just did not have what it takes to live up to the Lang name.

 

[gossiping]

i thought this last collection wasn't their best but a couple of seasons before it was really good..i agree that what goes in the store is not great though. too many b&w same styles each season. it needs a refresh.

 

[Scott]

hallelujah!

i don't want to make personal jabs…i'm not sad to seem them go but i do wish them well just the same. and hopefully they go somewhere and do something that's them not HL. frankly,i could sense it this season…to me it was just the straw that broke camel's back and those of us on the spot weren't the only ones who criticized….most of the industry were pretty indignant about that poor collection. unfortunately,i don't think they ever got the point and most everything they designed for HL was completely detached from the essence of the label's history.