Nathan Jenden returns to DVF
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Please call it a comeback. Nathan Jenden, who spent over a decade working alongside DVF in the early 2000s, will be returning to the brand as chief design officer and vp, creative. Jenden takes over for Jonathan Saunders who left the post after just eighteen months with the brand.
“It is with joy and pride that I look forward to welcoming Nathan back at DVF,” von Furstenberg said in a statement. “Nathan is an extremely talented and technically skillful designer who also has a great gift at surrounding himself with young, emerging talent. He totally embraces the DVF woman and the brand enjoyed its greatest commercial success during his tenure.”
In 2010, Jenden left the brand to focus on his own label, but has mostly operated behind the scenes for other brands since. Most recently, he served as creative director of Bebe.
Nathan Jenden joins DVF as chief design officer, vp creative
After Jenden's departure, the creative director positions at DVF was held briefly by Yvan Mispeleare followed by Michael Herz. Saunders joined the brand in 2016, and although his stint with the brand was also very brief, during his time there he changed the logo, switched to a presentation format rather than runway show for Fashion Week, and made the design aesthetic more modern.
While his collections were very successful, once DVF announced she would be selling equity stake in her company, he opted to leave. Jenden is already hard at work on the next collection for the brand, which will debut next month.
“The fundamental essence of DVF that Diane created is an identity that has empowered women everywhere, delivering accessible style, confidence, independence, and a sense of self-worth,” he said in the statement. “Diane delivers that message not only through fashion, but in her approach to life, her love of art, culture, diversity and philanthropy. I see DVF as being more relevant today than it ever was in its message of self-empowerment while being dynamic and modern. I want to give the DVF girl what she wants when she wants it, and with the joie de vivre and sense of purpose that epitomizes Diane, DVF the brand, and the spirit of women today.”
Now the question remains, will he take the early '00s approach to design, or create something new and modern for DVF's customer today?
Photo: Mark Mainz / Getty Images North America / AFP