Scottish designer Jonathan Saunders has been announced as the new Chief Creative Officer at Diane von Furstenberg, where he will move from London to the U.S. for the role.
The designer’s career seems to be looking up, as he previously had to close down his own label, which he began in 2003, citing “personal reasons”. But fast-forward 5 months and he has since been named as the new creative head of DVF, where he replaces Michael Herz, who served as the brand’s artistic director for 2 years.
Saunders is known for his love of prints and bright colours, which are often at the centre of his designs and it is for this reason he is considered the perfect choice to be the label’s new creative head. The label’s founder, Diane von Furstenberg appears to be incredibly happy with the decision, releasing a statement on his appointment:
“Jonathan’s extraordinary passion for colours and prints, his effortless designs and his desire to make women feel beautiful make him the perfect creative force to lead DVF into the future.
“I could not have found a cooler, more intelligent designer and I cannot wait to watch him shine as our chief creative officer.”
Making his own statement regarding the appointment, Saunders observed it was a “natural” fit, and discussed his own plans for the brand.
“For me, it’s about understanding the ethos for which Diane started this brand. For me, the approach that she had is thinking about what women want to wear and balancing functionality with desirability.”
While it’s clear he will keep Furstenberg’s original plans of making the line with women in mind, Saunders won’t be afraid to take it in a new direction if need be. Discussing what could come from him being in control, Saunders stated:
“It’s day one. I need to immerse myself in it. I think what’s important is that we think about the values this brand has established from the beginning, and the reason why this brand started and why it began, and take it from there.”
Saunders’ first collection as the creative officer of DVF will debut in Spring/Summer 2017 and is sure to be a sight to see.
