Chloe has parted ways with its creative director Hannah MacGibbon. Pringle of Scotland’s Clare Waight Keller will replace her on June 1.
MacGibbon worked for Chloe for the past decade, including the last three years as head designer. However Chloe decided not to renew her contract, although it’s a little unclear why.
Chloe’s official line is that MacGibbon is looking to “pursue new projects,” although she “will always have a deep affection for Chloe.” However that hasn’t stopped the rumor mill buzzing that the split wasn’t as amicable as the press release suggests. Rumors suggest MacGibbon had a less than cordial relationship with management, although that’s pure speculation.
While I’ve admired some Chloe designs of recent years, I must admit that they’ve never excited me as much as the work former creative director Phoebe Philo produced for the line. Perhaps by moving in a new direction Chloe can recapture some of that success.
Do you think that Clare Waight Keller is the right woman for the job, or would you rather another designer step up to helm Chloe? And where do you think we’ll see Hannah MacGibbon popping up next? While her collections have been a bit uneven, she’s certainly a designer with great promise who could do great things in the right fashion environment.
[Source: Business Week]
[Image Source: Chloe website]
