Fashion designer Jil Sander to return to company

FRANKFURT - German fashion designer Jil Sander is set to make a return to the company that bears her name seven years after resigning, Gala magazine reported on Thursday, quoting industry sources.

Raf Simons has been CCO for Jil Sander since 2005. Photo : AFP.

A spokeswoman for Jil Sander AG declined to comment on the report, but confirmed that the label's current creative director, Belgian Raf Simons, is leaving at the end of this month.

"The cooperation is ending on February 27," the spokeswoman said.

Sander, 68, founded the fashion house in 1968. But Prada bought a 75-percent stake in 1999.

Sander initially stayed on as creative director, but resigned a little later owing to differences with Prada chief executive Patrizio Bertelli.

She made a surprise return to the label in 2003 but her stay again proved short and she quit again after just two collections.

In 2006, Prada sold Jil Sander AG to London-based British private equity firm, Change Capital Partners (CCP).

Simons has been creative director since 2005, but he is rumoured to succeed John Galliano at Dior, who was sacked last year after making anti-semitic comments.