Christophe Lemaire departs Hermès to focus on eponymous brand

Hermès is set to say goodbye to its artistic director of women's ready-to-wear,

Christophe Lemaire, who is leaving the label to focus on his own namesake label.

The French fashion house revealed on Monday that Lemaire was leaving his role after holding the position for four year. Lemaire will showcase his final collection for Hermès on 1 October during Paris fashion week.

Lemaire is said to be leaving Hermès in order to turn his full attention to his own brand, which he founded in 1991. “Working for Hemès has been a great pleasure: a profoundly enriching experience on both a human and professional level,” he said in a statement.

“I am proud of what we have built together. My own label is growing in an important way and I now really want and need to dedicate myself to it fully.”

Chief Executive Officer at Hermès, Axel Dumas, said, “I am very grateful to Christophe for the passion with which he has addressed and enriched the expression of our house in women’s ready-to-wear. Under his artistic direction the métier has renewed its aesthetic and produced very satisfactory financial results.”

Lemaire, who took over the creative reins at Hermès in June​ 2010 after Jean Paul Gaultier's departure, previously worked at Lacoste, Yves Saint Laurent and Christian Lacroix.