Tomas Maier, creative director of the Italian fashion house Bottega Veneta, will be leaving the brand after seventeen years. Maier came to the brand at a time when Bottega Veneta had incurred a large debt, but the Maier-era oversaw great financial success for the brand.
The luxury brand’s parent company, Kering, released an official statement: “It’s largely due to Tomas’s high-level creative demands that Bottega Veneta became the house it is today. He put it back on the luxury scene and made it an undisputed reference. With his creative vision, he magnificently showcased the expertise of the House’s artisans.”
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Maier took over the position from Tom Ford in 2001. Eleven years later, the company reached over $1 billion in sales. Maier has received praise for bringing the brand into the future, especially after he recruited social media famous models to walk the runway for his last collection. Names such as Kaia Gerber and Kendall Jenner sported Maier’s colorful designs last fall. Many viewed this choice as the brand’s attempt to appeal to a younger generation.
According to 2017’s calculations, Bottega Veneta became Kering’s second most profitable brand. Only being outranked by Gucci. The brand made $ 1.4 billion in overall profit. As of then, the brand is reported as having 270 stores under its name; owing much of its popularity to areas of the world like Asia Pacific, Western Europe, Japan, and North America. The fashion house recently debuted it’s Spring 2018 brand in new flagship store on Madison Avenue in January of this year.
Kering’s CEO, Francois-Henri Pinault, commented on the designer’s departure from the brand, stating: “I am deeply grateful to him and I personally thank him for the work he accomplished, and for the exceptional success he helped to achieve.”
It is worth noting that Mr. Maier himself has yet to comment on his leaving of Bottega Veneta. Some sources, such as Refinery 29, have noted that typically when a designer leaves a brand, there is a joint statement between the company and the individual. The website notes the cases of Phoebe Philo and Kim Jones as examples. However, it seems that there is no word from Maier as of yet. It is possible that the designer will come forth and provide further explanation as to the ending of an era for this well-known brand.
Featured Image via Wikimedia Commons
