Top image: Backstage at Givenchy FW17, photo by Alexandre Sallé de Chou

Today, Riccardo Tisci announced that he will be leaving Givenchy having first joined the Parisian fashion house in 2005.

The designer’s exit was confirmed by Givenchy, who told WWD that his final collections would be last month’s FW17 men’s and fall 2017 couture shows. The separation has been described as “mutual and amicable” and became effective on the expiry of his contract on 31st January, only eleven days after his FW17 menswear show during PFWM.

“The chapter Riccardo Tisci has written with the house of Givenchy over the last 12 years represents an incredible vision to sustain its continuous success, and I would like to warmly thank him for his core contribution to the house’s development,” said Bernard Arnault, chairman and chief executive officer of LVMH, Givenchy’s parent company.

Tisci said of his departure: “I have very special affection for the House of Givenchy and its beautiful teams. I want to thank the LVMH group and Monsieur Bernard Arnault for giving me the platform to express my creativity over the years. I now wish to focus on my personal interests and passions.”

Rumours suggest that the Italian designer is on his way to Versace. It’d make sense given Tisci’s well-documented friendship with Donatella – she even appeared in Tisci’s Givenchy FW15 ad campaign. Wherever he decides to go next, it’s bound to make for interesting viewing.