As Jil Sander expresses her desire to return to her eponymous label, Raf Simons will be stepping down from his role as creative director of the Jil Sander label.
Jil founded the fashion house in 1968 but has since left on two occasions – with the last time being in 2004.
But according to Germany’s Gala magazine, the designer – who recently collaborated with Uniqlo – wants to come back to the label and could make return in four weeks time.
Last year, it was announced Jil and Uniqlo are to part ways after a two-year collaboration.
The German sartorialist had worked with the Japanese label since 2008 but her autumn/winter 2011 collection for the +J range was her last for the high street store.
A Uniqlo press release said, “With the recent completion of the design of the fall and winter collection, Ms. Sander and Uniqlo agreed that they had fully explored the possibilities of their creative collaboration and accomplished what they had set out to do. Consequently, the two parties have decided to wrap up their design consulting agreement with this collection.”
Jil joined Uniqlo in 2009 – after a five-year break from the industry – and was appointed creative director of the brand’s menswear and womenswear as well as launching +J, which focused on the designer’s famously minimal, clean aesthetic.
Raf, the 43-year-old Belgian designer, who has been creative director at the company for the past seven years, is reportedly set to depart the fashion house imminently, with his autumn/winter 2012-13 show at Milan Fashion Week set to be his last.
Cathy Horyn, fashion critic for The New York Times, tweeted, “Jil Sander company has just confirmed that Raf Simons is leaving.
“Raf Simons to leave Jil Sander. Show on Saturday to be his last. (sic)”
While the fashion house will announce the appointment of a new creative director over the course of the next few days, it has been speculated that Jil Sander could step back into the role after leaving the label in 2004.
According to Germany’s Gala magazine, Jil is keen to return to the company and could be back at the helm within four weeks’ time.
Meanwhile, Raf was recently linked to the role of creative director at Christian Dior following the firing of John Galliano last year and is now believed to be finalising his contract with the French fashion house.