Ludovic de Saint Sernin has resigned from his position at Ann Demeulemeester, less than six months after taking the reigns.
In December, designer Ludovic de Saint Sernin joined Ann Demeulemeester as creative director to spearhead the effort of elevating the brand’s profile.
According to the brand, “Sensuality, tension, silhouette, fluidity, wildness and a graphic feel are defining pillars of the language Ludovic de Saint Sernin is about to build as he traces the new course of Ann Demeulemeester”. However, after just one season, the social media-savvy designer is departing the ready-to-wear brand.
Falling Short of Expectations
In all, de Saint Sernin only presented one collection. That is – his Paris Fashion Week debut for Ann Demeulemeester in March 2023. For it, de Saint Sernin sought to commemorate the label’s three-decade legacy by pulling inspiration from Demeulemeester’s vast archive.
So what went wrong? Well basically, Sernin’s directorial debut fell short of expectations. Overall, the collection felt a bit rushed and significantly unfinished.
We were anxious to watch Sernin spread his wings after this turbulent start. To see a collection that injected his own personality into Demeulemeester’s classic aesthetic.
However, it has been confirmed that there won’t be a follow-up. Sources speculate that de Saint Sernin had trouble keeping his named label and Ann Demeulemeester in balance.
The Business of Fashion cites managerial differences as the reason for de Saint Sernin’s departure, which is the most recent in a string of brief designer tenures. April saw a series of high-profile departures from major fashion houses. Rhuigi Villasenor parted ways with Bally, while Charles de Vilmorin left Rochas.
Additionally, Benjamin Alexander-Huseby and Serhat Işk both departed from Trussardi. Each of these designers was tasked with modernising a storied brand and expanding its allure among youthful consumers, but none of them endured more than two years in their positions.
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