They said/We said: Giles Deacon splits from Ungaro, do we hear Vuitton in his future?

Photography by Peter Stigter
Photography by Peter Stigter

This morning, news broke that Giles Deacon is no longer working as creative director and leading designer at Ungaro. The story of the reported mutual breakup is being met with surprise, coming just weeks shy of Paris fashion week, and after only two collections (and two very well received collections at that) with the Parisian fashion house. The Spring 2012 line will be the last collab between Deacon and Ungaro, and is rumoured to not even have been designed by Deacon himself, but instead “reflect the work of the design team.”

Deacon was the latest in a long list of short-lived collaborations with the likes of Giambattista Valli, Peter Dundas, Esteban Cortazar and even Lindsay Lohan. His departure begs the question: is the brand stable?

Having such a tumultuous staff does not bode well, and with no replacement named, we will wait with baited breath to see what the future holds for the Ungaro name as well as its place within the industry.

THEY SAID….

Giles Deacon: “I am very proud of the work that I — and my team — did at Ungaro, and it was a pleasure to work in Monsieur Ungaro’s studio and with members of his actual atelier. I am going to concentrate on the global development of the Giles brand with some exciting one-off projects in the pipeline for next year – and I’m really excited about presenting the Giles spring/summer 2012 collection on Monday evening.” [Vogue UK]

Jeffry M. Aronsson, ceo of Emanuel Ungaro: “Emanuel Ungaro embodies a very rich and distinct DNA which the company will deliver with a modern spirit. The creative process for executing our strategy is largely in place and I will comment on this further at the appropriate time.” [Vogue UK]

Fashionista: “WWD reports that both parties are calling it a mutual decision rather than a firing, and we’re not entirely surprised. The fashion house has seen a revolving door of creative directors over the past few years.” [Fashionista]

@ELLEUK: “Giles and Ungaro: the party’s over” [Twitter]

On the Runway: “Well, there goes another one.” [On the Runway Blog]

WE SAID….

Rani Sheen, features director: “It seemed a good move, bringing an established, exciting designer like Giles Deacon in to revitalize a high-profile European house recently vacated by Lindsay Lohan (no jokes needed; they write themselves). But, alas, the craziness at Ungaro clearly runs deep, and Deacon didn’t get—or want—the time to establish a new path for the brand. The question now is not so much what Ungaro will do next—we’re all so weary of its drama—but what Deacon will (Vuitton, mayhaps?).”

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