The turn of the new fashion season marked a sharp exit for fashion designer Jonathan Saunders as he stepped down as creative director and pulled the plug on his own label after meeting ready-to-wear orders once and for all.

His decision to quit certainly has left the fashion industry baffled.  The current SS16 collection, now Jonathan Saunders final showing at LFW was critiqued as one of the best of his career.  The show was spectacularly set within a custom -built venue designed to reflect the trademark aesthetic of Jonathan’s style and a grand gesture towards the labels financially secure future - Eisha Bharti Pasricha invested into the independent label only last year.

Having been hugely influential on the international fashion circuit since he first burst onto it in 2003 Jonathan Saunders is considered to be one of Britain’s leading figures in fashion, and one of the longest standing independent designers ever on the fashion calendar to emerge from the millennial new wave.

After graduating with an MA in Printed Textiles from Central Saint Martins and winning the Lancome Colour Award for his graduate collection he continued to impress fashion’s elite by completing the commissioned ‘Bird of Paradise’ print for Alexander McQueen’s 2003 collection.  Dismissing the idea to work under any other creative director he immediately took charge of his own label.

Early financial support came from the influential Lulu Kennedy, who with the Truman Brewery found a slot on the very first schedule of the now famed Fashion East Showcase for the rising star ensuring the prints featured in his first commercial runway show dazzled the eyes of every decent fashion editor and stylist across London and the world. 

Consequentially, he was crowned ‘Prince of Prints’ by the fashion media and instantly became a darling within the top tier of the industry.  Vogue magazine covers and coveted accolades followed and the instant kudos he garnered earned him a substantial number of high profile clients, from A-list actresses Sienna Miller and Diane Kruger to political first ladies Samantha Cameron and Michelle Obama.  All have called on the talented scot to dress them for high profile social engagements.

‘Hailed’ for his innovative use of bold colour and pattern in print, his popularity brought about the inevitable mass copycat manufacturing for the high street, but undeterred Saunders hit back with his own capsule collections for Debenhams, Topshop and Target. 

In 2012 he was awarded the prestigious £200,000 British Fashion Council/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund and in the same year presented his first mens solo show at Milan Men’s Week going on to win Breakthrough Menswear Designer Brand Award at the GQ Awards in 2013.

Verifying high fashion and world-class decor aren’t as far apart as you might think Jonathan sauntered into his first interior design project carving out the stylish Amber pool and lounge area on the beach at the Thompson Sensatori Jamaica.  Proving the crossover of his printed patterns from fashion into upholstery provide the whole shebang in terms of interior design accents he went on to collaborate with The Rug Company on a series of large-scale rugs and runners saying “I did furniture and product design before fashion and I come from a textiles background, so there’s a real synergy between what I do in fashion and this process”.  He also collaborated with various other luxury brands, most notably British menswear accessory brand Smythson and British designer handbag brand Radley with whom he recently designed a successful series of mini leather goods.

The news of his departure comes as another great blow to an industry already unsettled by a series of random exits involving other big name creative directors in fashion.  Alexander Wang was first to have his reign cut short at Balenciaga surprisingly setting a trend for many of fashion’s trailblazers to follow.  Raf Simons spectacularly split with Dior, Lanvin ousted Alber Albaz and Saint Laurent deleted Hedi Slimane.  It appears everyone is losing their creative heads in a shake up that’s setting a new precedent in the longevity of creative directors careers.

Jonathan Saunders, amongst other key London based designers Giles, Richard Nicoll, Marios Schwab and Meadham Kirchhoff have all now announced closure or put a hiatus on their ready to wear collections.  As a result the Glaswegian designer and Glasgow School of Art graduate becomes yet another fashion victim to fall off the official London Fashion Week schedule.  A sense of bereavement was most definitely felt at his recent absence from the bi-annual fashion spectacle.  Apart from a brief stint showing in New York on the advice of friend and mentor Anna Wintour, Jonathan’s innovative prints have been a mainstay on the London runways over the past 12 years.

Some fashion insiders count Saunders in the running to take the helm at the historical Parisian fashion house Dior.  Whilst the world has been waiting with baited breath for Bernard Arnault to announce Raf Simons successor media giant Elle France got a little hot to trot when they sent out a Tweet implying the Scot had secured the plum post only to swiftly delete it sending the rumour mills into full acceleration.  It makes sense, after all being no stranger to the corporate model having resided as creative director at Italian house Pollini and acted as consultant for the likes of Chloe and Pucci under the creative direction of the great Christian Lacroix.

As the call to end the increasing circle of obsolescence in fashions ready to wear market becomes louder Jonathan Saunders is remaining tight-lipped leaving us feeling that surely it can’t be the end of the production line for this pedigreed designer.