Nathan Jenden, who worked alongside Diane von Furstenberg for a decade in the early 2000s, is returning to the label as its chief design officer and vice president, creative.
“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 for surrounding himself with young, emerging talent. He totally embraces the DVF woman, and the brand enjoyed its greatest commercial success during his tenure.”
Jenden left DVF in 2010 to focus on his eponymous collection. Vogue covered his Fall 2010 runway show, which was built in the DVF spirit, heavy on prints and party dressing. But he has mostly operated behind the scenes in the interim years. Recently, he was the creative director of Bebe.
Following Jenden’s exit, Yvan Mispelaere and Michael Herz held the creative director position at DVF, both for short stints. Jonathan Saunders was named chief creative officer in 2016. His arrival marked a period of change at the brand: The logo was reimagined and runway shows were replaced with more intimate presentations, but after a series of well-received collections, Saunders resigned in December, not long after Von Furstenberg announced that she was planning on selling an equity stake in her business.
Jenden’s hire suggests that Von Furstenberg is looking for stability in the design studio when much in the business is changing. He’ll have a busy January; his first collection for the brand, Fall 2018, will be presented next month at New York Fashion Week. “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,” Jenden said in a statement. “Diane delivers that message not only through fashion, but in her approach to life and 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.”