Riccardo Tisci, creative director of Givenchy and the designer who is credited for making Givenchy edgy and cool again, announced on Thursday that he was leaving the brand after 12 years.

Tisci’s last collections for the French couture house were fall men’s wear and spring couture, which were shown in Paris on January 20. Givenchy will not be staging a runway show on March 5 during Paris Fashion Week in light of Tisci’s exit, although the fall women’s collection, designed by the studio, will still be sold to retailers in Givenchy’s Paris showroom. 

Bernard Arnault, chief executive of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, Givenchy’s parent company, thanked Tisci for his work at Givenchy, saying in a statement, “The chapter Riccardo Tisci has written with the House of Givenchy represents an incredible vision to sustain its continuous success, and I would like to warmly thank him for his core contribution.”

On his departure, Tisci says in a statement, “I now wish to focus on my personal interests and passions.” But his exit has also fuelled speculation that he is heading to Milan-based brand Versace, where he shares a close friendship with Donatella Versace. 

Tisci was a relatively unknown 30-year old designer when he was recruited by former chief executive of Givenchy Marco Gobbetti. He followed in the footsteps of John Galliano, Alexander McQueen and Julien Macdonald, who all attempted to galvanise the brand after the 1995 retirement of founder Hubert de Givenchy. 

Tisci’s exit marks the latest upheaval in the fashion business, and is also another sign that short creative director stints are becoming the new norm. Over the past year, Christian Dior, Lanvin, Saint Laurent, Valentino, Chloe, Salvatore Ferragamo, Oscar de la Renta and more have also seen changes in the creative top ranks.