Designer Ann Demeulemeester Retires from Fashion

Iconic designer – and one of the original avant-garde “Antwerp Six” that put the Belgian city on the fashion map – Ann Demeulemeester officially left the world of fashion and her own eponymous label yesterday with a handwritten letter. Known for her elegant tailoring and dark yet glamorous aesthetic, Demeulemeester wrote:

As a young girl, I dreamed of having a voice in fashion. I worked hard to realize this dream and now I feel that I accomplished this mission. I have always followed my own path. A new time is coming both for my personal life and the brand Ann Demeulemeester. I feel it’s time to separate our paths.

She went on to reveal that both the men’s and women’s collections for Fall 2014 – her final designs – will be unveiled February 27, 2014 and hit the runway for Paris Fashion Week. Entrepreneur Anne Chapelle, who runs Demeulemeester’s label as the main shareholder of Edu NV, went on to note that the designer will not be replaced, stating “There is a full team ready in the house, trained by Ann over many years. Nothing will change… the soul of Mrs. Demeulemeester will continue to be in all the future collections.”