Lars Nilsson Out at Ferré
Fall 2008 collection designed by in-house team
In a statement released Friday confirming Nilsson's exit following a brief five-month tenure, Gianfranco Ferré S.p.A stated, "The Gianfranco Ferré Fall 2008 women's collection, which will be presented on Monday, February 18, has been designed by the company's in-house creative team. This collection will be a tribute to Gianfranco Ferré's creativity and to his vision of style as the distinctive value imprinting each aspect of the brand's strategic orientation."
The Swedish designer, whose resumé read like a Who's Who of international fashion, had previously worked at such houses as Christian Lacroix, Balmain, Dior, Bill Blass, and Nina Ricci. He was named creative director of Ferré on September 25, following the designer's sudden death in June. Nilsson was expected to present his first collection for the house in two weeks' time in Milan.
Neither Nilsson nor executives of IT Holding S.p.A, the Italian parent company of Ferré, could be reached for further comment.
While a new creative direction will be named after the Milan show, sources say Ferré chief executive officer Michela Piva, a five-year veteran of Ferré who was promoted to chief executive in November, has already confirmed a new designer, adding that the individual is not an American. The fall collection, meanwhile, has been taken over by two in-house Ferré designers.
The news sent a ripple effect through the front row at the Donna Karan show, where many editor-in-chiefs and key fashion critics learned of the news.
"We keep having those false starts," said the International Herald Tribune's Suzy Menkes. "I think maybe creative designers and corporate management just cannot see eye to eye. I don't know how you can expect to have the perfect collection in one season. I feel sad for [the state of] fashion."
Added Harper's Bazaar editor-in-chief Glenda Bailey, "I'm very sad because Lars is immensely talented. I hope this is not a trend. I'm looking forward to a new announcement." Anne Christensen was equally shocked. "Why so fast?" wondered the T: The New York Time Style Magazine's women's fashion director. "They had named such a great team and to chop it off now is really going to hurt the label." Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour expressed a similar sentiment. "We're very surprised but I don't have any information," she said.
Fabien Baron, who in January was named the external art director of the Ferré brand, confirmed that his post will go on. "I heard things weren't going the right way, but I didn't know it was going to go that far," he told Fashion Week Daily at the Donna Karan show. Baron's role at Ferré remains unchanged. He will continue to oversee all creative services, point of sales opportunities, store design, and areas associated with image and brand building.
Tensions mounted in recent weeks at the Ferré studio in Milan, where Nilsson was said to be behind schedule in preparing the collection. "He got overwhelmed and realized it was too big a responsibility for him," said one industry insider. "The position made him very insecure." Adding fuel to the fire was Piva's alleged reaction to Nilsson's pace. As of last week, he was said to have only completed a handful of pieces. "This is a company that takes fashion very seriously because it's a big business," said an industry executive. "At the end of the day, Lars was not a right fit and it was too big a fish for him to fry."
Nilsson, who has worked in fashion since leaving his native Sweden at age 18, was the first outside creative director at the house started in 1978 since its founder Ferré passed away. He assumed responsibility for all the men's and women's clothing and accessories collections. He made his official debut in January with the presentation of a men's collection, and was expected to follow in suit with a women's collection later this month.
A graduate of Paris's École de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture, he interned in the tailoring atelier at Chanel Haute Couture before going to Christian Lacroix, where he remained for nine years, becoming senior haute couture designer. From 1997 to 1999 he worked with John Galliano at Dior as coordinator of both the haute couture studio and the fur collections, before moving to New York where he was design director for the Polo Ralph Lauren women's wear collection. From 2000-03 he was creative director of Bill Blass Collection, before returning to Paris to helm Nina Ricci where he was creative director from 2003 to 2006.
"I'm thrilled and honored to be joining Gianfranco Ferré, a house with a powerful legacy," Nilsson said upon joining the company. "I feel very inspired by Mr. Ferré's imprint on fashion and strong architectural sensibility. I look forward to working with the Gianfranco Ferré house to take it to the next level and help cement its standing as an esteemed and globally recognized luxury company."
At the time of the appointment, Tonino Perna, chairman of Gianfranco Ferré S.p.A. and its parent company, IT Holding S.p.A, said: "Lars Nilsson is a world-class talent fully able to continue the creative development of the brand made immortal by Gianfranco Ferré. His sartorial approach to fashion design, the style he has developed and defined over the years, will prove instrumental in following the path of creative research which has always distinguished the work of Gianfranco Ferré."
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