Jenden Takes Medical Leave at DVF
Nathan Jenden, who returned to Diane von Furstenberg as chief design officer and vice president, creative in January, is taking a leave from the company for health reasons.
The company declined to provide further details.
Jenden had returned to DVF following the departure of Jonathan Saunders, who resigned his post as chief creative officer in December. Jenden showed his first collection in February for fall and had been very involved in the spring collection. He has put a team in place.
“Nathan gave me the best gift by introducing me to Sandra [Campos], our new ceo and putting a great team together. His handwriting and his direction are evident in the new spring collection,” said Diane von Furstenberg Wednesday.
The London-born Jenden studied at Central Saint Martins and the Royal College of Art before receiving an apprenticeship with John Galliano. Moving to New York in 1998, he spent three years as design director with Daryl K and then took over the chief design role at DVF for 10 years until 2011. Those years were considered the most recent “glory days” of the DVF label.
While at DVF, Jenden launched his own label and left to pursue this venture, opening stores in China, Hong Kong and South Korea. He then worked for Global Brands Group as the creative director for Bebe, while also supporting other brands in GBG’s portfolio, including Hervé Leger and Juicy Couture. While there, Jenden worked with Sandra Campos, former copresident of women’s apparel at GBG, who was tapped as chief executive officer of DVF in April.
When Jenden returned to the brand in January, von Furstenberg said, “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.”
Campos and von Furstenberg will be handling press appointments on Sunday at DVF’s Meatpacking District showroom.
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