Designer Kim Jones to step down from Louis Vuitton

The National -- After a successful seven years at the helm, Kim Jones announced on January 17 that he is stepping down as creative director of menswear at Louis Vuitton. His final show for the house was on January 18, in Paris, when he delivers the autumn/winter 2018 collection.

Jones is credited with injecting a youthful energy into the luxury label, seamlessly blending Louis Vuitton’s famous travel heritage into collections that appealed to a younger audience. As well as following the Vuitton tradition of collaborating with artists on projects – which saw Jones bring British artist duo Jake and Dinos Chapman on board, he also instigated last year’s tie-up with streetwear brand Supreme, which sold out worldwide in a matter of hours, but caused consternation among Vuitton’s more established clientele.

In a statement, Michael Burke, the chairman and chief executive of Louis Vuitton, said: “It has been a huge privilege to work with Kim. His ability to set trends is impeccable, and his talent and determination have ensured that Louis Vuitton is firmly placed as the leading brand in luxury menswear today. All of us, who have been fortunate to work with Kim, wish him continued success in his next venture.”

Jones is the fifth major name to step down from a fashion role in almost as many weeks, following the likes of Christopher Bailey from Burberry, Jonathan Saunders from Diane von Furstenberg, Phoebe Philo from Céline and Nicola Formichetti from Diesel, begging the question of what happens next. Clearly big moves are afoot, so watch this space.