Creative director Riccardo Tisci leaves Givenchy

Paris (AFP) – Italian designer Riccardo Tisci announced Thursday he has left Givenchy after 12 years as the French fashion house’s creative director, in order to focus on his “personal interests and passions.”

Givenchy, in a statement said it was “a joint decision” not to continue the collaboration and that Tisci had officially left the company January 31 “after a very successful twelve year partnership.”

The Italian creator, a friend to many stars, revived the flagging label with its style mixing streetwear and couture, marked by a dark romanticism.

Givenchy chief executive Philippe Fortunato applauded Tisci’s “visionary qualities that led to a strong growth of the brand,” and thanked him for “his outstanding contribution to the international development and appeal” of the fashion house.

Tisci himself, in the same statement, said he maintained “very special affection for the House of Givenchy and its beautiful teams.”

While thanking Givenchy for giving him a platform to express his creativity over the years, he added that “I now wish to focus on my personal interests and passions”. 

His latest menswear and haute couture collections for Givenchy, part of the French luxury group LVMH, were presented in Paris last month.

Givenchy’s next ready-to-wear collection is due to be unveiled on March 5 during Paris Fashion Week.

The prestigious fashion house said the name of Tisci’s replacement would be announced soon.

Tisci’s own future was the subject of immediate speculation with some suggestion that the 42-year-old might find a new outlet for his talents with Versace.

He is friends with the Donatella Versace and in 2015 posed for a Versace advertising campaign. The Italian label had no comment when questioned by AFP.

Trained at Central Saint Martins, a top arts and design college in London, Tisci arrived at Givenchy in March 2005 as a relative unknown.

After founder Hubert de Givenchy left the company in 1995 there were a string of British designers at the fashion house: John Galliano, Alexander McQueen and Julien Macdonald.

Tisci becomes the latest in a series of designers who have left major labels of late, with changes in direction also at Dior, Saint Laurent, Valentino, Lanvin, Chloe and Carven.