Aquilano, Rimondi out at Ferré

The designers, who together held the top spot at Ferré since April 2008, were ousted in a shake-up by the brand’s new owners, the Paris Group.

‘We bought a minimal amount of the collection for the sake of carrying the brand, but there simply were not enough samples,’ the anonymous retailer said. ‘There was almost no daywear and eveningwear was fairy tale, like something for the Oscars. It may work for a small, niche brand, but not for such a global brand.’

Ferré has been in turmoil since the death of its founder in 2007. The first designer to join the house besides Gianfranco Ferré lasted less than one season. Many expected Aquilano and Rimondi’s relative longevity at the brand to wind down after the Paris Group acquired the brand in February for an estimated €10-20m.

‘Aquilano and Rimondi spent a few seasons putting their own mark on the label with more complex shapes, like pleating, bubble skirts and gold leafing—not to everyone’s taste,’ says Carrie Gorman, ELLEuk.com editor. ‘But for A/W ’11 the house’s signature shapes were back in evidence and the duo were striking the right balance between progression and heritage. You want a great shirt and a fabulous raincoat from Ferre. Let’s hope this continues with the next creative director.’

Aquilano and Rimondi also design the critically well-received Aquilano.Rimondi brand, previously called 6267.