Milan-based Versus is parting ways with Christopher Kane and giving creative control to Donatella Versace, WWD reports.
The move is part of a long-term strategy to reposition the company as a seasonless collection with ongoing capsule collaborations with younger, up-and-coming designers.
According to CEO Gian Giacomo Ferraris, Kane's departure wasn't prompted by a terminated contract.
“This is consistent with Christopher’s own strategies when he first accepted to work on Versus, and we are now ready to change our approach,” Ferraris told WWD. “He and Donatella Versace had a beautiful, personal symbiosis."
Meanwhile, Kane—who had worked for the brand since 2009—has denied Internet rumours that he is a top candidate for the Balenciaga seat recently vacated by Nicolas Ghesquiere.
"Rumors surrounding Christopher Kane's appointment as creative director of Balenciaga are unfounded," a Christopher Kane spokesman told WWD.
