According to WWD, Peter Copping is stepping down as Nina Ricci's creative director after five years at the Paris-based fashion house. This announcement also confirms the rumors that Copping will take over as lead designer at Oscar de la Renta.
About Nina Ricci:
The house of Nina Ricci was founded by Turin-born Maria "Nina" Ricci and her son Robert in Paris in 1932. The brand rapidly expanded over the next few decades, thanks to its refined, romantic, and always feminine aesthetic. In 1948, Robert created a bit of beauty history by introducing the now-iconic L'Air du Temps fragrance, which continues to be a top seller today (in 2008 the house launched a limited-edition run of the fragrance for the 60th anniversary). At one point, the house reached such notoriety that Andy Warhol designed its window displays, and in January 1998, the Puig Group officially bought the company. The design direction has changed hands several times over the years; Belgian-born Olivier Theyskens joined as creative director in 2006, and his collections won ardent praise by fashion critics for his ability to channel the house's airy romance through chiffon layers and jeweled accents, consistently creating glamour with a Parisienne-punk edge. But to the industry's disappointment, Puig head Mario Grauso let Theyskens go after the fall 2009 season, hiring former Louis Vuitton designer Peter Copping to take the reigns.