Chloé Confirms Clare Waight Keller's Departure

French fashion house Chloé has confirmed that its current creative director, Clare Waight Keller, will be leaving her position on March 31, after the brand's forthcoming autumn/winter 2017 show at Paris Fashion Week.

"Clare has been a remarkable partner at Chloé over the past six years,” Chloé's president, Geoffroy De La Bourdonnaye, said today. "She helped rejuvenate the legacy of Gaby Aghion, the first ever Chloé girl, by infusing a cool and easy breeze into the Chloé wardrobe, effortlessly mixing graceful and feminine flou with a free-wheeling and boyish take on tailoring. Clare has a unique talent in directing a large studio of strong creatives. I would like to personally thank Clare for her loyalty and dedication to Chloé.

Rumours first surfaced about Waight Keller's exit from the brand - which is said to be a mutual decision between the designer and management - towards the end of 2016, but it was earlier this month that her successor was mooted as Natacha Ramsay Levi. Currently womenswear designer at Louis Vuitton, Ramsay Levi is expected to be officially announced as Chloé's new helmer imminently, although the brand did not comment on its future designer today.

“After six extraordinary years at Chloé I would like to thank Geoffroy and all my colleagues for their enormous efforts over the past years,” said Waight Keller, who took the Chloé reins in May 2011 from Hannah MacGibbon, who had been artistic director since 2008. “Working for this maison has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. Chloé is a brand with values close to my heart and I have truly enjoyed working with some of the best talents in the industry. I feel privileged to have worked for a maison with such a heritage and I am very proud of all that has been achieved.”