Call us wet blankets if you will but news of yet another departure from a fashion house no longer fazes us. After the whirlwind that was 2016, we were hoping that this year would be the calm, drama-free year that would yield no changes that we would have to keep track of. Alas, those dreams have been dashed with Lanvin and the departure of Bouchra Jarrar.

Having been with the brand since 2016 when Lanvin was looking to fill the rather large shoes of its previous long-serving artistic director Alber Elbaz, Jarrar even shuttered her own label to focus on building the luxury brand. In an interview with the South China Morning Post, the designer confessed to enduring pressure. “I wanted to dedicate my whole self to Lanvin, to relaunch the Maison and brand, so I shut my own label down….But I need the whole house’s support; alone it’s impossible.”

Bouchra Jarrar, former artistic director of Lanvin

As with all departures, there is yet another to take the place of Jarrar. Olivier Lapidus, the former creative director of Balmain Homme and son of the late designer Ted Lapidus, is all set to take on the responsibilities left behind by Jarrar. While many may give him some time to get accustomed to his new role and see what he has in store for the brand, some have expressed their doubts. “It is a great honour to join Lanvin and I warmly thank Madame Wang for placing her confidence in me,” said Olivier Lapidus. He added “With nearly 130 years of history, Lanvin is the oldest French couture house. To ensure its longevity is an immense task and an exciting challenge.”

Come September, Lapidus will present his first collection for Lanvin and we know, without a doubt, that fans and critics alike will be eager to catch a glimpse of.