Chief creative officer of Diane von Furstenberg Jonathan Sauders has resigned from his post. The news comes days after von Furstenberg told WWD she plans to sell a stake in her fashion company. The designer and chairwoman of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) plans to hire Michel Dyens & Co., a leading independent investment banking firm, to explore options.
Saunders said, “I am grateful for Diane’s support and for the opportunity of guiding this iconic brand. I am so proud of everything we have accomplished in the past 18 months. I thank the incredible team for their dedication and support, and will continue to be a friend and admirer of the brand.”
The British designer’s last collection for the label was his pre-fall lineup, inspired by Michelangelo Antonioni’s “Zabriskie Point.”
“I am grateful for Diane’s support and for the opportunity of guiding this iconic brand. I am so proud of everything we have accomplished in the past 18 months. I thank the incredible team for their dedication and support, and will continue to be a friend and admirer of the brand,” Saunders said in a statement.
"It's a good time for the company to be led by a woman," she said in a statement to CNNMoney. "This is another first for the company and I'm honored and humbled."