here you go...
Two Trovata Partners to Depart
By Nandini D'Souza
The founding members of Trovata: Sam Shipley, John Whitledge, Josia Lamberto-Egan and Jeff Halmos.
Trovata is going from three to one.
Citing creative differences, Jeff Halmos and Sam Shipley, co-founders of the California-based label, have decided to leave the company, effective Jan. 1, and will launch their own contemporary women's and men's label for spring 2008. John Whitledge, co-founder, president and creative director, will be the only one of the four original partners to remain at Trovata. The fourth founding member, Josia Lamberto-Egan, left the company in June.
In its five years, Trovata has won several awards, including the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund last year and an Ecco Domani in 2004, as well as substantial support from editors and retailers such as Barneys New York, Nordstrom, Fred Segal and Henri Bendel in the U.S., and Harvey Nichols in London. The four men met in college, where they started a makeshift clothing line, the seeds of what would become the label's humorous preppy staple.
While breaking up is hard to do, especially when you've been as feted as Trovata has been, the three insisted they are relieved by the decision. "We have had our share of creative differences over the years and feel that, in order for the company to move forward in a positive direction and for us to be happy personally, this is the ideal solution," said Halmos. "Because we're friends, we tried to figure out different scenarios to continue on, but we had just reached a point where no one was happy."
The team tried taking on different responsibilities and splitting up others, such as press, production, design and manufacturing, but to no avail. "Basically, we got more compartmentalized and focused on our individualized talents, which allowed us to do amazing things, but it pulled us apart," said Shipley.
Whitledge believes that, though there's never an easy time to dissolve a partnership, this is the perfect moment for Trovata to do so. "The company is going through a really successful time, and the team that we have on board is incredible," he said. Indeed, one of the hardest parts for all parties has been breaking the news to the company's 17 other employees.
Shipley likened the dissolution to the breakup of a music band. "Like At the Drive-In — when they broke up, I couldn't understand why," he said. "And now that I've been in the same situation ... there's a time when you can't do it anymore. All those guys have started their own bands that are doing really well and they seem to be really happy."
As for retailers, Whitledge hopes they'll be understanding, and the few who might have had a clue that all was not well at Trovata already have shown support.
For now, Shipley, Halmos and Lamberto-Egan will be silent shareholders in the brand, with plans to completely cut the cord soon. "We're working on a way that there will be a buyout where Sam, Josia and I will sell back our shares and we will make what we're calling a clean break," said Halmos.
Whitledge said he is remaining with the company because "it started out of my dorm room and I'm so attached to it. I've always had a long-term vision of where I want the company to be and what I want it to stand for."
That includes, in the near future, a freestanding Trovata store. The upcoming fall and resort collections will be the last designed as a team, and spring 2008 will mark what Whitledge called the "first new season, from scratch."
