Top image: Backstage at Givenchy Menswear FW20

After three years as Givenchy‘s Artistic Director, Clare Waight Keller announced today that she would be leaving her role, effective immediately. A press statement clarified that the recent FW20 womenswear collection, shown at Paris Fashion Week, was her last at the storied French house.

“As the first woman to be the Artistic Director of this legendary Maison, I feel honoured to have been given the opportunity to cherish its legacy and bring it new life,” she explained in an official statement. Keller also described her unwavering focus on Givenchy’s revered couture line as “one of the highlights of my professional journey.”

Under her direction, classic, couture silhouettes were sexed-up with flashes of vivid latex, the result of a recurring collaboration with latex artisan Atsuko Kudo. This became just one of Keller’s many hallmarks: from razor-sharp tailoring defining her menswear collections to the various, expert update of Givenchy signatures at womenswear, the designer ushered in a distinctive new chapter at the iconic brand.

“I have shared so many incredible moments with the brilliant Givenchy ateliers and design teams,” she continued, wrapping up her official statement. “Your exceptional talent and dedication will forever remain in my memories. My heartfelt thanks go out to each of the unsung heroes and heroines behind the scenes, for their contribution from production to communications and retail, and every global team member, partner and supplier in between. Without all of you, I could not have brought my vision for Givenchy to life in such a beautiful way.”

LVMH CEO Sidney Toledano thanked the designer for her work and wished her luck in the future, but there’s no official word on how – and if – the house will set about hiring a replacement in the current global circumstances.