PARIS – Rochas has parted ways with creative director Charles de Vilmorin after a two-year tenure.

“The Maison Rochas broadcasts that its contract with Charles de Vilmorin has not been renewed,” the French fashion house said on Monday in a press release provided exclusively to WWD.

The 26-year-old designer, known for his colourful paintings tinged with darkness, exited the business on March 31 following the tip of his contract with Rochas parent company Interparfums SA and HIM Co SpA – High Italian Manufacturing, the corporate previously referred to as Onward Luxury Group, which produces the brand’s women’s ready-to-wear, it added.

De Vilmorin, who was named to the post lower than a yr after launching his fashion label within the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, made his runway debut for Rochas in September 2021 with a disruptive collection that blended his signature swirly sketches with a club-kid spirit.

Subsequent collections hewed closer to the home’s heritage, with references to Hélène Rochas, the wife of founder Marcel Rochas, and its bestselling Eau de Rochas perfume. However the designer struggled to hit his stride at the home, which lacks a transparent set of codes despite a history stretching back to 1925. 

“We would really like to thank Charles for his contribution to the legacy of Rochas. His creative vision could have a longlasting impact on the brand’s universe,” said Philippe Benacin, chief executive officer of Interparfums SA.

Rochas said it might announce its next step at a later date.

Since graduating from the Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne in 2019, de Vilmorin has turn out to be certainly one of the rising stars of Paris fashion, with many comparing his precocious talent and ethereal looks to a young Yves Saint Laurent.

His debut collection in April 2020 was a line of quilted bomber jackets inspired by artist Niki de Saint Phalle. With their oversize proportions, and vibrant patterns incorporating eyes, hearts and lips, his designs felt like an antidote to pandemic gloom and were lapped up by the style community. 

De Vilmorin was certainly one of the finalists for the 2021 edition of the LVMH Prize for Young Designers, and was shortlisted for the ANDAM Prize the identical yr. His collection has also been featured on Gucci’s online concept store Vault. 

He has presented several high fashion collections, mostly hand-painted pieces with signature details like leg-of-mutton sleeves. One among his Gothic black gowns was worn by Isabelle Huppert on the quilt of French Vogue.

Prior to his appointment, Rochas had been and not using a head designer since parting ways with Alessandro Dell’Acqua, who showed his last collection for the label in February 2020. During his six-year tenure, the Italian designer updated the brand’s couture heritage along with his signature mixture of glamorous embellishment and graphic tailoring.

Interparfums bought the Rochas fashion and fragrance activity from Procter & Gamble Co. in 2015 for $108 million.

The deal marked a primary step into fashion for the Paris-based subsidiary of Interparfums Inc. of Recent York, whose stable of licensed fragrance brands includes Montblanc, Boucheron, Jimmy Choo and Van Cleef & Arpels. The corporate also owns Lanvin’s perfume and cosmetics business. 

Rochas was under the creative direction of Marco Zanini from 2008 to 2013 and Olivier Theyskens from 2002 to 2006, when the style line was momentarily shuttered.