Hermès and Jean-Paul Gaultier have announced they are parting after seven years. Gaultier is the director of women’s ready-to-wear. His final work for Hermès will be the spring-summer 2011 collection. Gaultier will pursue his own projects, but has not given any further details on his next steps. Rumors of Gaultier’s departure had been rampant for months, but nothing official until now.
But just because they are parting doesn’t mean Hermès won’t have a stake in Gaultier’s work. They will maintain a 45% stake in the Jean-Paul Gaultier’s house, the primary shareholder after Gaultier himself.