After eight years of designing for Kenzo, LVMH has announced that Humberto Leon and Carol Lim are exiting their roles as co-creative directors.
When they joined, the duo made history as the first Asian-American creative directors in LVMH history (the company was founded in 1987), revitalizing the sleepy brand with cult must-haves like the Kenzo tiger sweatshirt and T-shirts.
“Humberto and Carol consistently brought diversity and inclusion to the forefront at Kenzo, using their collections, fashion shows, advertising, and special projects to engage and galvanize a new generation of creatives,” said Kenzo CEO Sidney Toledano in a statement. Most notably, Leon and Lim debuted Kenzo’s men’s and women’s spring 2018 collections in Paris on a cast comprised exclusively of models of Asian descent. In total there were 83 models, many of whom flew in from Japan, Korea, and Taiwan especially for the show.
The two are reportedly leaving to focus on their Opening Ceremony collection, and their last collection will be in Paris at Mens’ Fashion Week on June 23. Their replacement will be announced at a later date.