Demna Gvasalia is leaving Vetements to "pursue new ventures," as reported by WWD.
“I started Vetements because I was bored of fashion and against all odds fashion did change once and forever since Vetements appeared and it also opened a new door for so many,” the designer told WWD. He added, “I have accomplished my mission of a conceptualist and design innovator at this exceptional brand.”
Demna Gvaslia co-founded Vetements with his brother, Guram Gvasalia, in 2014. In a statement provided to WWD, Guram Gvasalia said that Vetements would “continue to push the boundaries even further, respecting codes and the authentic values of the brand, and keep on supporting honest creativity and genuine talent.”
Demna's leave is a reflection of a trend in the fashion industry where designers maintain short terms at major brands. Guram Gvasalia revealed that he paid his brother as much as he was earning at Balenciaga, possibly even more, to prevent partiality.
Earlier this year, Demna Gvaslia shared how he had gained a clearer sense of his design identity. Vetements had been responsible for casting Demna into an international spotlight, with the brand ranking among the likes of Saint Laurent, OFF-WHITE, and Balenciaga on the Lyst Index for the first quarter of 2019. It's assumed that Demna will continue in his role as creative director of Balenciaga, while potentially working on new projects.
Stay tuned for more updates as this is a breaking news story.
